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S     ,  n  '   ISSvr  ^ba  "I*b3  •  •  i  H, 

CHIEF   ENGINEER'S   OFFICE, 

MAUCH  CHUNK,  Aug.,  1852. 

\H-!" 

To  the  President  and  Directors  of  the  Delaware, 

Lehigh,  Sclmylkill  A:  Susquehanna  Railroad  Co. 

GENTLEMEN: 

, 

In  pursuance  with  your  instructions  I  have  made  a  location 
and  estimate  for  a  railroad  down  the  Valley  of  the  Lehigh, 
from  Mauch  Chunk  to  a  point  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Dela- 
ware River,  opposite  Easton. 

From  the  southern  terminus  of  the  Beaver  Meadow  Railroad, 
opposite  Mauch  Chunk  to  Parryville — a  distance  of  6  miles — 
the  route  will  occupy  the  old  Beaver  Meadow  grade,  portions 
of  which  will  have  to  be  raised  and  widened  and  other  portions 
entirely  renewed,  having  been  swept  away  by  the  freshets,  1841, 
and  subsequent  washings.  This  part  of  the  line  will  require 
about  30,000  dollars  to  put  it  in  condition  to  receive  the  super- 
structure, exclusive  of  the  bridges  across  the  Lehigh  River  and 
Mahoning  Creek.  From  Parryville  to  the  Gap,  a  distance  of  6 
mile*,  the  route  crosses  several  sandy  flats  (in  the  aggregate 
about  '2  miles)  which  vary  from  1  to  15  feet  below  grade.  The 
balance  of  the  distance,  4  miles,  it  runs  along  the  base  of  the 
Blue  Mountains,  which  is  very  steep  and  abrupt,  and  is  com- 
posed of  red  shale  rock  and  gravel,  excellent  materials  for  the 
roadbed. 

From  the  Gap  to  the  head  of  Swartz's  dam,  a  distance  of  11 
miles,  the  route  crosses  the  slate  formation,  which  in  some  places 
presents  very  abrupt  and  irregular  points,  rendering  it  rather 
expensive  constructing  the  road.  Sections  17,  18  and  19  in- 
clude the  heaviest  portions.  Sections  15,  16,  23  and  2-i  also 
pass  over  some  precipitous  bluffs.  All  the  stone  required  for 
masonry  upon  this  portion  of  the  route  will  have  to  be  trans- 
ported from  1  to  5  miles.  From  this  point  to  Allentown,  a  dis- 
tance of  6  miles,  the  route  crosses  the  limestone  formation, 
some  parts  of  the  line  pass  valleys  or  flats  requiring  embank- 

M531153 


ments,  other  portions  elevated  flats  which  need  to  be  excavated, 
and  steep  bluffs  of  rock  rising  nearly  perpendicular  from  the 
water's  edge  need  deep  cutting.  From  Allentown  to  Bethle- 
hem, 5  miles,  the  route  will  occupy  the  site  of  the  present  public 
road  a  considerable  portion  of  the  distance;  the  rock  upon  this 
part  of  the  line  lies  very  near  the  surface  and  is  of  an  excellent 
quality  for  building  purposes.  Quarries  can  be  opened  at  a 
trifling  cost,  from  which  fine  large  stone  may  be  procured  for 
bridge  abutments  and  other  masonry  requisite  along  the  line. 
From  Bethlehem  to  South  Easton,  a  distance  of  11  miles,  the 
route  crosses  flats  requiring  embankments,  along  the  slope  of 
hills,  &c.,  limestone  bluffs  to  be  excavated,  and  for  a  consider- 
able distance  along  the  public  road,  the  location  of  which  will 
make  a  change  of  its  location  necessary.  Through  South 
Easton  the  route  has  not  been  entirely  determined  upon;  be- 
tween the  street  and  the  canal,  however,  would  seem  to  be  the 
proper  place.  The  limestone,  sandstone  and  red  shale  occurr- 
ing on  the  line  furnish  good  and  cheap  materials  for  the 
construction  of  the  road,  and,  with  the  exception  of  that  part 
of  the  route  traversed  by  the  slate,  wherever  stone  are  required, 
they  can  be  procured  without  much  expense. 

The  location,  though  a  preliminary  one,  is  so  near  where  the 
road  must  ultimately  be  made  that  I  have  based  my  estimate 
upon  it.  The  limited  time  and  assistance  allotted  me  prevented 
my  making  a  permanent  location  or  taking  such  accurate  meas- 
urements as  I  desired;  yet  as  the  line  cannot  be  varied  much 
the  estimate  will  not  be  far  from  the  true  result.  The  ..curves 
may  in  some  instances  be  eased  at  an  additional  cost,  but  gener- 
ally where  the  sharp  curve  occurs  there  would  be  a  large  increase 
of  expense  incurred  in  making  them  much  lighter  owing  to  the 
steep,  precipitous  bank.  The  curves  with  one  exception  are 
short, — the  longest  on  the  route  being  4,800  feet  with  a  radius 
of  1,600  feet.  The  rest  vary  from  300  to  1,500  feet  in  length 
with  radii  of  from  700  to  11,460  feet.  Considerably  more  than 
half  the  distance  will  be  in  straight  lines,  varying  from  500  feet 
to  1J  miles  in  length.  The  grades  are  very  favorable — the 
descent  in  all  cases  (except  the  mile  at  South  Easton)  being  in 
the  direction  of  the  trade.  The  maximum  grade  is  35.4  feet 


per  mile  and  that  for  only  4,000  feet,  and  this  may  be  reduced 
to  30  feet  without  great  additional  cost.  The  grades  upon  the 
ground  do  not  occur  in  the  order  exhibited  in  the  table,  but  are 
divided  along  the  route,  so  that  generally  the  light  grade  follows 
a  heavy  one.  The  grades  are  as  follows: 

Descending  35.40  ft,  per  mile  for  0  miles  4,000  ft. 
do  28.00  "       do          "  0     do    3,400  " 

do  21.10  "       do          "  3     do       160  " 

do  20.00  "       do          "  0     do    3,000  " 

do  18.30  "       do          "  0     do    2,600  "   • 

do  15.80  "       do          "  1     do    2,620  " 

do  14.80  "       do          "  0     do    3,000  " 

do  12.70  "       do          "  3     do    2,360  " 

do  11.60  "       do          "  3     do       360  " 

do  10.60  "       do          "  1     do    1,120  " 

do  9.10  "       do          "  1     do       220  " 

do  7.90  "       do          "  0     do    3,100  " 

do  7.10  "       do          "  0     do    2,900  " 

do  6.60  "       do          "  0     do    4,200  " 

do  5.80  "       do  "  0     do    3,500  " 

do  5.30  "       do          "  8     do    3,860  " 

do  5.00  "       do          "  1     do    4,320  " 

do  4.20  "       do        •  "  0     do    2,300  " 

do  3.70  "       do          "  0     do    5,000  " 

do  2.60  "       do          "  7     do    1,440  " 

do  Level  "       do          "  6     do    1,020  " 

Ascending    18.5     "       do  5,200  "   through 

South  Easton  to  the  Delaware  River.  This  grade  may  be 
avoided  by  intersecting  with  the  Trenton  and  Belvidere  Road. 
The  road  is  laid  out  for  a  single  track  14  feet  wide  at  the  grade 
line  on  embankments,  and  20  feet  wide  in  common  earth  cuts. 
The  slopes  are  generally  one  and  a  half  in  one,  except  in  rock 
where  they  are  3  inches  better  per  foot. 

The  bridges  and  culverts  are  ail  calculated  for  a  double  track 
and  the  bridge  across  the  Delaware  can  be  so  constructed  as  to 
admit  of  four  tracks,  two  of  them  on  the  top,  60  feet  above  the 
river,  to  intersect  the  Central  Railroad,  and  two  underneath  to 
intersect  the  Trenton  and  Belvidere  Railroad.  The  masonry 


and  other  mechanical  work  is  intended  to  be  plain  and  cheap, 
but  strong  and  durable.  The  superstructure  estimated  has  a 
rail  of  65  pounds  to  the  yard,  laid  upon  cross  ties  30  inches 
apart  from  centre  to  centre. 

The  estimate  of  the  grading,  masonry  (except  the  bridge 
abutment  and  piers),  changing  of  public  roads  and  grubbing  and 
clearing,  is  821,695  dollars.  The  estimate  for  the  superstruc- 
ture, including  4  miles  of  turnouts,  frogs  and  switches  is  375,- 

000  dollars.     The  depots  and  other  buildings  necessary  for  the 
early  use  of  the  road  I  have  estimated  at  35,390  dollars.     The 
total  expenditure  under  these  four  heads  amounts  to  1,430,853 
dollars,  to  which  must  be  added  the  estimate  for  land  and  dam- 
ages.    This  is  a  matter  that  cannot  be  arrived  at  with  any 
degree  of  accuracy  without  consulting  personally  each  property 
holder,  which  I  have  neither  had  the  time  nor  opportunity  of 
doing.     I  have,  however,  made  an  estimate  of  the  probable 
amount  of  land  that  will  be  required  for  a  double  track,  and 
affixed  such  a  price  as  I  think  will  not  fail  to  secure  it. 

I  place  the  amount  at  $100,000,  which  added  to  the  items 
above  enumerated  makes  the  total  $1,530,853.  The  prices  are 
such  as  the  work  can  be  done  for.  I  have  averaged  them  as 
part  of  the  work  will  cost  less  and  part  of  it  will  probably  cost 
more.  In  most  places  where  embankment  occurs  there  is  not 
excavation  sufficient  to  make  it.  The  field  work  was  commenced 
early  in  May  (llth)  and  completed  about  the  middle  of  June 
by  our  corps,  under  my  immediate  direction,  since  which  time 

1  have  been  engaged  in  the  office  making  up  the  estimate  which 
I  now  place  before  you. 

All  of  which  is  very  respectfully  submitted. 

ROBT.  H.  SAYEE, 

Chief  Engineer  Delaware,  Lehigh,  Schuylkill 
&  Susquehanna  Railroad. 


, 

LEHIGH  VALLEY  RAILROAD, 
Office  of  the  Superintendent  and  Engineer. 

MAUOH  CHUNK,  Dec.  31,  1855. 

To  the  President  and  Directors  of  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad. 

GENTLEMEN: 

In  presenting  this  my  first  report  to  you  it  may  be  proper 
to  give  a  short  account  of  the  progress  of  the  work  under 
my  charge  from  the  date  of  my  connection  with  it  up  to 
the  present  time.  On  the  eleventh  of  May,  1852,  I  commenced 
the  survey  and  preliminary  location  of  the  line  from  Mauch 
Chunk  to  Easton,  and  completed  it  in  the  latter  part  of  June, 
after  which  nothing  was  done  in  the  field  until  the  work  was  let 
to  Asa  Packer,  contractor.  About  the  first  of  October  I  again 
engaged  a  corps  and  started  upon  the  permanent  location  of  the 
road  which  I  completed  during  the  fall  and  winter.  In  De- 
cember Section  !N"o.  46,  including  the  heavy  rock  cut  through 
Mount  Ida,  opposite  Easton,  together  with  the  masonry  for  the 
bridge  across  the  river  Delaware  was  sublet  to  Messrs.  At  wood, 
Cook  &  Co.  About  the  same  time  Sections  ~So.  7  and  8,  heavy 
rock  cuts  were  let  to  Lentz  &  Bowman.  In  the  same  month  the 
very  heavy  slate  rock  cutting  w^as  commenced  by  Mr.  Packer, 
but  under  the  immediate  supervision  and  direction  of  Mr.  Robt. 
Lockhart.  Some  of  these  cuts  were  over  100  feet  in  height  and 
required  a  vast  amount  of  labor  to  remove  them.  These  heavy 
sections  were  let  in  advance  of  the  balance  of  the  work  in  order 
to  complete  the  whole  simultaneously.  About  the  first  of  May, 
1853,  the  residue  of  the  line  was  sublet,  and  soon  after  the  con- 
tractors generally  commenced  operations.  The  advance  in  the 
price  of  labor,  provisions,  &c.,  the  scarcity  of  men  and  money 
^and  the  great  amount  of  sickness  along  the  line  the  following 
summer,  retarded  the  work  very  much.  Many  of  the  sub- 
contractors had  to  have  their  prices  raised  to  enable  them  to 
proceed  with  the  work,  some  few  abandoned  their  jobs  which 


6 

had  to  be  relet,  thereby  causing  much,  vexatious  delay.  After 
proceeding  with  the  work  upon  Section  No.  46  until  the  latter 
part  of  February,  I  was  directed  to  change  the  original  plan 
so  as  to  form  a  connection  with  the  Belvidere  Delaware  Rail- 
road, as  well  as  with  the  Central  Eailroad  of  New  Jersey.  This 
involved  a  very  material  increase  of  labor  and  expense,  and 
delayed  the  completion  of  the  work  several  months.  Entire 
new  plans  had  to  be  arranged  and  drawn,  these  required  time 
to  perfect,  as  the  connection  was  a  difficult  one  to  make,  on 
account  of  the  difference  in  elevation  and  direction  of  the  two 
roads.  After  the  completion  of  the  plans  for  the  bridge  across 
the  Delaware,  the  work  was  sublet  to  Messrs.  Comins  &  Murphy, 
who  erected  the  span  across  the  Delaware  Canal,  after  which 
their  contract  was  declared  abandoned  and  the  work  relet  to 
John  W.  Murphy.  Much  difficulty  was  experienced  in  the 
erection  of  the  bridge  across  the  ri\rer  on  account  of  frequent 
and  continued  high  water.  To  obviate  this  difficulty  it  was 
suggested  to  try  the  experiment  of  raising  the  structure  upon 
wire  cables  stretched  from  pier  to  pier.  Mr.  Murphy  adopted 
the  plan  which  proved  eminently  successful  and  enabled  him 
to  complete  the  work  in  a  very  satisfactory  manner.  The  road 
was  opened  for  the  transportation  of  passengers  from  South 
Easton  to  Allentown  on  the  eleventh  of  June,  1855,  and  two 
trains  run  daily  to  the  latter  place  until  the  12th  of  September, 
when  the  road  was  opened  for  travel  to  Mauch  Chunk,  one  train 
a  day  being  run  until  the  1st  of  October.  Up  to  this  time  the 
road  was  operated  by  Mr.  Packer,  with  rolling  stock  hired  from 
the  Central  Railroad  Company  of  New  Jersey. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers  held  on  the  19th  of 
September  it  \vas  resolved  to  accept  the  road  for  running  from 
and  after  Monday  the  24th  inst.  with  the  assent  of  the  contrac- 
tor. At  the  same  meeting  I  was  instructed  to  make  arrange- 
ments with  the  Central  Railroad  Company  of  New  Jersey  for 
the  running  of  the  passenger  trains  upon  your  road,  the  time 
between  the  19th  and  24th  being  too  short  to  perfect  the  run- 
ning arrangements.  I  did  not  commence  operating  the  road 
for  the  Company  until  the  1st  of  October,  previous  to  which  I 
contracted  with  the  Central  Railroad  Company  of  New  Jersey 


to  run  two  passenger  trains  daily  from  Easton  to  Mauch  Chunk, 
connecting  with  the  Philadelphia  trains  on  the  Belvidere  Dela- 
ware Railroad,  thus  affording  ample  facilities  to  the  travelling- 
public.  On  the  19th  of  Xovember,  one  of  the  Central  Railroad 
train?  \va>  withdrawn  and  a  freight  train  with  passenger  car 
attached  was  substituted.  This  arrangement  not  proving  at  all 
satisfactory  to  the  public,  and  having  in  the  meantime  purchased 
a  passenger  locomotive  and  cars,  on  the  24th  of  December  the 
nger  train  connecting  with  the  early  and  late  trains  to  and 
from  Xew  York  and  Philadelphia  was  run  with  our  own  cars; 
the  Central  Company  still  running  the  mid-day  train.  At  the 
same  time  a  daily  freight  train  was  put  upon  the  road  leaving 
Easton  in  the  morning  and  returning  in  the  evening.  The  re- 
ceipts from  passengers  has  been  very  satisfactory — in  fact  larger 
than  was  anticipated.  The  receipts  from  coal  and  miscellaneous 
freight  has  been  limited  by  want  of  cars.  The  coal,  iron  and 
iron  ore  transported  over  the  road  has  been  in  cars  furnished  by 
the  Central  Railroad  Company,  Beaver  Meadow  Railroad  & 
Coal  (  Yanpany  and  Packer,  Carter  &  Co. 

In  the  early  part  of  October  an  arrangement  was  entered 
into  with  Howard  A:  Co.  of  Philadelphia  to  do  the  freighting 
busines.-  of  the  road  (except  coal,  iron  and  iron  ore)  they  fur- 
nishing car-,  hands,  &c.,  and  paying  at  the  rate  of  3  cents  per 
ton  per  mile  for  toll  and  transportation.  An  arrangement  was 
also  effected  with  A.  D.  Hope  of  Xew  York  for  carrying  his 
express  matter  at  the  rate  of  $150  per  month. 

Your  road  is  now  in  excellent  running  order  and  I  think  will 
compare  favorably  with  any  new  road  in  the  country.  There 
has  been  some  interruption  caused  by  slides  upon  the  track,  but 
nothing  of  a  serious  nature  has  occurred  to  interrupt  the  travel. 
Xo  passenger  train  has  been  delayed  over  4  hours  since  the 
opening  of  the  road.  The  cost  of  maintenance  of  w^ay  has  been 
greater  than  I  anticipated  owing  partly  to  the  materials  used 
for  ballast  upon  a  portion  of  the  track  (slate  gravel)  crushing 
under  the  ties,  but  mainly  to  the  continued  and  heavy  rains  of 
this  fall  and  winter  bringing  down  materials  upon  the  track, 
rendering  it  necessary  to  employ  a  train  and  gang  of  men  to 
keep  it  clear.  There  were  several  points  along  Kuntz'  dam, 


where  we  cut  through  slate  gravel  lying  upon  the  rock  and  not- 
withstanding the  gravel  was  well  sloped,  the  whole  surface  from 
the  top  of  the  hill  has  slid  down,  bringing  trees,  stumps,  &c., 
with  it.  This  material  has  had  to  be  removed,  and  I  have  had 
it  put  upon  the  line  of  the  second  track,  so  that  a  portion  of  the 
amount  charged  to  maintenance  of  way  might  with  propriety  be 
charged  to  construction. 

The  length  of  your  road  from  Mauch  Chunk  to  its  eastern 
terminus  is  45  38/53  miles.  This,  together  with  the  Belvidere, 
Delaware  connection  and  the  various  sidings,  make  about  48^ 
miles  of  single  track.  The  main  track  is  laid  with  a  rail  weigh- 
ing 56  pounds  per  yard,  supported  upon  cross-ties  6x7  inches 
and  7J  feet  long,  placed  2^  feet  apart,  and  one-fourth  of  it  is 
ballasted  with  stone  or  gravel.  The  road  has  a  descending  or 
level  grade  from  Mauch  Chunk  to  Easton,  and  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  curve  at  Mauch  Chunk,  has  no  curve  of  less  than 
TOO  feet  radius.  The  sharpest  of  these  curves  may  be  improved 
by  expending  a  considerable  amount  of  money,  but  I  doubt  the 
propriety  or  necessity  of  doing  this  at  present.  When  the  con- 
templated connection  with  the  Little  Schuylkill  is  completed, 
thus  forming  the  shortest  route  from  Lake  Erie  to  New  York, 
it  may  become  necessary  in  view  of  the  increased  rate  of  speed 
required  to  compete  with  other  routes,  to  improve  the  heaviest 
curves.  The  masonry  is  all  constructed  for  a  double  track  road 
and  is  of  the  most  permanent  character.  There  is  over  a  half 
mile  of  bridging  upon  the  road,  in  length  of  spans  varying  from 
30  to  183  feet.  They  are  substantially  built  structures  and  are 
all  arranged  for  two  tracks.  With  this  amount  of  wooden 
bridges  upon  the  road  you  will  perceive  at  a  glance  the  constant 
risk  you  run  of  having  the  business  interrupted  by  the  destruc- 
tion of  one  of  them.  The  mere  loss  of  the  bridge  itself  would 
be  nothing  compared  to  the  partial  or  total  suspension  of  a  large 
business.  This  liability  to  interruption  will,  I  hope,  induce  you 
to  give  your  early  attention  to  the  subject  of  replacing  them 
with  iron  and  stone  structures  as  soon  as  the  finances  of  the 
Company  will  admit  of  it.  Most  of  the  creek  bridges  can  be 
rebuilt  of  stone,  but  it  wrill  be  impracticable  to  build  either  of 
the  river  bridges  of  that  material.  Much  prejudice  has  existed 


of  late  years  against  the  use  of  iron  in  the  construction  of  bridges 
but  this  has  arisen,  I  think,  from  the  fact  of  a  number  of  iron 
bridges  having  failed.  These  failures,  however,  can  probably 
all  be  traced  to  a  want  of  knowledge  shown  in  the  plan  and  pro- 
portions of  the  structures.  I  have  no  doubt  but  that  iron  in- 
telligently used  is  the  best  and  cheapest  building  material  we 
have  where  permanency  is  required;  and  since  the  success  of 
that  great  work  of  art  (the  spanning  of  Xiagara  River  with  a 
wire  suspension  bridge),  by  Mr.  Roebling,  has  been  fully  estab- 
lished, you  need  never  be  at  a  loss  for  the  want  of  an  imperish- 
able material  for  your  bridges.  Temporary  passenger  depots 
have  been  erected  at  Easton,  Allentown  and  Mauch  Chunk. 
At  Bethlehem  you  occupy  the  house  belonging  to  Mr.  Packer, 
which  makes  a  very  good  passenger  house,  and  will  probably 
answer  your  purpose  for  some  time  to  come.  You  are  using 
for  passengers  portions  of  the  buildings  erected  by  Howard  & 
Co.  for  freight  houses  at  Freemansburg,  Catasauqua,  Whitehall, 
Slatington  and  Lehighton.  A  permanent  freight  and  passenger 
house  is  now  in  course  of  construction  at  Easton  by  the  Central 
Railroad  Company  to  be  used  jointly  by  the  two  roads.  Plat- 
forms have  been  built  at  all  the  stations  upon  the  road.  A 
frame  engine  house  for  the  accommodation  of  two  engines  has 
been  erected  at  Mauch  Chunk,  and  a  temporary  one  to  accom- 
modate one  engine  has  been  built  at  Whitehall.  A  turntable 
has  been  put  in  at  Mauch  Chunk;  water  stations  have  been 
erected  at  Lehigh  Gap,  Whitehall,  Allentown  and  Chain  Dam, 
affording  an  ample  supply  of  water,  except  between  Allentown 
and  Chain  Dam,  and  at  Easton.  These  points,  especially  the 
former,  must  be  supplied  previous  to  the  opening  of  the  spring 
business.  Bethlehem  would  seem  to  be  the  proper  point  and 
I  would  recommend  the  erection  there  at  once  of  a  steam  engine 
of  sufficient  capacity  to  pump  water  and  saw  wood.  The  Presi- 
dent of  the  Thomas  Iron  Company  has  agreed  to  supply  you 
with  all  the  water  you  may  want  at  Hokendauqua  free  of  ex- 
pense, provided  you  will  make  that  place  a  passenger  station. 
This  I  have  assented  to  and  ordered  the  water  tank  put  up. 
Arrangements  should  be  made  at  an  early  day  for  water  at 
South  Easton.  We  are  now  using  the  engine  house  and  turn- 


10 

table  of  the  Central  Railroad  Company  at  Phillipsburg,  which 
they  have  kindly  tendered  to  us,  and  probably  an  arrangement 
might  be  effected  with  them  for  its  use  for  some  time  to  come, 
but  in  the  event  of  any  accident  occurring  to  the  trestling  or 
bridge  between  South  East  on  and  Phillipsburg  it  would  subject 
us  to  inconvenience  and  loss  of  time  in  running  the  engines 
backwards.  I  would,  therefore,  recommend  the  erection  of 
engine  house,  car  house  and  turntable  at  South  Easton.  There 
should  also  be  an  engine  and  car  house  erected  at  Mauch  Chunk. 
Arrangements  should  be  made  as  early  as  possible  for  the  build- 
ing of  repair  shops.  The  efficiency  of  our  engines  will  be 
greatly  impaired  and  the  cost  of  transportation  materially  in- 
creased unless  our  rolling  stock  is  kept  in  good  order.  Wood 
sheds  should  also  be  erected  and  two  years'  supply  of  wood  pur- 
chased so  as  always  to  have  one  year's  supply  of  seasoned  fuel 
on  hand. 

Sidings  have  been  put  in  at  Mauch  Chunk,  Lehigh  Gap, 
Slatington,  Whitehall,  Allentown,  Bethlehem  and  South  Easton. 
There  should  be  several  miles  additional  laid  in  the  spring. 
There  should  also  be  a  weigh  scale  put  in  at  Mauch  Chunk  and 
some  provision  must  be  made  for  ground  and  sidings  sufficient 
to  make  up  the  trains.  Most  of  the  coal  operators  in  this  region 
are  expecting  to  increase  their  business,  and  several  new  works 
will  go  into  operation  during  the  spring  and  summer. 

The  connection  of  our  road  with  that  of  the  Belvidere 
Delaware  Railroad  provides  a  down  grade  or  level  road  from 
the  mines  to  tide  water,  over  which  coal  can  be  transported  as 
cheaply  as  by  any  other  improvement  now  in  use.  The  diffi- 
culty of  the  difference  in  gauge  has  been  obviated  by  construct- 
ing cars  with  wheels  of  broad  tread  that  run  equally  well  on 
both  roads.  The  connection  with  the  Central  of  New  Jersey 
Railroad  provides  a  communication  to  Newark,  Jersey  City,  &c., 
which  is  as  short  as  that  from  any  other  coal  region  and  with  far 
more  favorable  grades,  there  being  no  opposing  grade  greater 
than  21  feet  per  mile. 

The  North  Pennsylvania  Railroad  will  probably  be  completed 
during  the  coming  summer.  This  will  open  a  new  market  to 
be  supplied  with  coal  and  will  also  no  doubt  bring  you  a  large 
amount  of  passenger  and  freight  business. 


11 

The  Morris  Canal  Company  are  constructing  a  branch  from 
the  eastern  end  of  the  Delaware  bridge  to  their  canal  and  are 
erecting  conveniences  for  loading  coal  into  their  boats  at  that 
point,  thereby  saving  them  the  risk  and  expense  of  ferrying  their 
boat-  across  the  river  and  doubling  their  boating  facilities  with- 
out any  increase  of  capital. 

The  Thomas  Iron  Company  have  constructed  a  branch  from 
your  road  running  into  the  bridge  house  of  their  furnaces,  by 
means  of  which  they  unload  their  coal  and  iron  ore  where  no 
handling  is  required,  except  to  hoist  it  into  their  furnaces.  This 
convenience  of  course  gives  our  road  the  preference  over  any 
other  improvement  for  supplying  their  works. 

The  Crane  Iron  Company  have  raised  the  bridge  across  the 
river  to  a  level  with  our  road  and  contemplate  making  a  con- 
nection in  the  spring,  with  a  view  of  getting  a  portion  of  the 
coal  for  the  supply  of  their  works  by  railroad. 

The  Lehigh  Valley  Iron  Works,  Alleiitowii  Iron  Works  and 
Lehigh  Zinc  Works  situated  in  such  close  proximity  to  your 
road,  and  with  excellent  opportunities  for  unloading  their  coal 
and  ore,  must  eventually  get  all  their  supplies  by  railroad. 

With  all  these  avenues  open  there  can  be  no  doubt  but  that 
upon  the  completion  of  the  second  track  of  the  Beaver  Meadow 
Knad  your  road  will  be  filled  with  business.  In  view  of  this, 
active  measures  should  be  taken  at  once  to  supply  a  sufficient 
amount  of  rolling  stock  to  meets  its  requirements. 

A  survey  has  been  completed  of  the  route  through  Mahoning 
Valley  to  connect  the  Lehigh  Valley  and  Little  Schuylkill  Rail- 
roads. The  examinations  develop  a  perfectly  feasible  route 
with  small  amount  of  curvature  and  no  ascending  grade  coming 
east  necessary.  Total  distance  from  the  mouth  of  Mahoning 
Creek  to  Tamauqua  17  miles  250  feet.  Length  of  tangents  14 
miles  4,839  feet.  Length  of  curved  line  2  miles  691  feet. 
Total  amount  of  curvature  412  degrees.  Xumber  of  curves 
13.  Average  degree  of  curvature  3°  15'  or  1,763  feet  radius. 
The  maximum  grade  is  50  feet  per  mile  and  is  in  favor  of  the 
coal  trade.  A  heavy  cut  is  encountered  at  the  summit  (4  miles 
from  Tamauqua)  by  coming  out  of  the  Schuylkill  Valley  with  a 
level  grade,  but  in  view  of  the  immense  coal  tonnage  that  must 


12 

eventually  pass  over  the  road  from  the  Schuylkill  and  Shamokin 
regions  I  would  without  hesitation  recommend  the  level  being 
preserved  even  at  an  increased  cost.  Upon  further  examination, 
however,  I  think  this  line  will  be  found  cheaper  than  one  with 
ascending  grades,  from  the  fact  of  there  being  heavy  embank- 
ments on  each  side  of  the  cut,  that  would  be  materially  increased 
by  raising  the  grade.  The  general  character  of  the  work  is 
heavy,  the  first  four  (4)  miles  after  leaving  Xamauqua  is  very 
heavy.  The  importance  of  the  connection,  however,  would 
justify  a  large  expenditure.  I  hope  you  will  see  the  great  im- 
portance of  it,  and  have  it  put  under  contract  immediately. 
Upon  its  completion  and  the  completion  of  the  Sunbury  &  Erie 
there  will  be  a  continuous  line  of  railroad  of  uniform  gauge 
from  Lake  Erie  to  EKzabethport,  of  less  distance  and  far  superior 
grades  to  any  other  route  in  operation  or  contemplation.  The 
distance  from  Lake  Erie  to  Philadelphia  will  be  but  3  miles 
further  via  Lehigh  Valley  and  North  Pennsylvania  than  by  the 
Little  Schuylkill  and  Reading  Railroads.  This,  I  think,  will 
secure  to  you  at  least  one-half  the  travel  to  Philadelphia. 

The  Little  Schuylkill  Company  have  in  contemplation  the 
construction  of  a  railroad  commencing  about  5-J  miles  north  of 
Tamauqua  and  running  west  about  6  miles  into  the  Valley  of  the 
Mahanoy,  from  this  point  (10  miles  east  of  Ashland)  it  may  be 
necessary  to  make  two  roads,  one  opening  the  Mahanoy  and  the 
other  the  Shenandoah  and  Shamokin  regions.  In  a  communi- 
cation recently  received  from  J.  Edward  Barnes,  Superintendent 
of  Little  Schuylkill  Company,  he  says :  "The  first  of  these  basins 
is  about  15  miles  long  by  f  wide.  The  second  20  miles  long- 
by  1  mile  wide.  The  third  is  greater  in  extent  than  either  of 
the  other.  The  coal  of  these  several  basins  is  of  excellent 
quality,  easily  and  cheaply  mined,  and  has  a  large  advantage 
over  many  other  regions  from  the  fact  of  considerable  portion 
of  it  being  above  water  level.  The  capacity  of  these  several 
coal  fields  is  equal  to  at  least  3,000,000  per  annum,  which 
would  furnish  business  for  several  roads.  New  York  is 
only  153  miles  from  the  western  terminus  of  the  Mahanoy 
basin  and  160  miles  from  the  western  terminus  of  the 
Shenandoah  (in  which  is  situated  the  celebrated  Ashland 


13 

mines),  while  a  considerable  portion  of  the  Shamokin  basin  can 
be  reached  without  exceeding  that  distance.  The  distance  from 
these  coal  deposits  is  less  to  Xew  York  via  Lehigh  Valley  and 
Little  Schuylkill  Railroads,  and  the  grades  and  other  natural  ob- 
stacles less  than  by  any  other  route.  The  only  outlet  at  present 
for  500,000  tons  of  coal  which  they  are  prepared  to  mine  in 
the  Ashland  district  is  the  Mine  Hill  Road,  whose  acknowledged 
capacity  is  1,000,000  tons  per  annum,  but  whose  active  business 
this  year  with  great  effort  reached  125,000  tons.  They  sur- 
mount the  Broad  Mountain  (which  at  Ashland  is  the  southern 
boundary  of  the  coal  basin)  with  two  planes,  whose  aggregate 
length  is  9,000  feet  and  elevation  TOO  feet," 

Tamauqua  is  some  7  miles  nearer  Xew  York  than  the  first 
mine  reached  by  the  Beaver  Meadow  Railroad,  this  will  give 
them-  the  advantage  of  about  20  cents  per  tdn  in  market  over 
the  Beaver  Meadow  region  upon  coal  of  the  same  quality  and 
will,  I  think,  induce  a  large  shipment  from  that  region. 

RECEIPTS  AND  EXPENDITURES  FOR  1855. 


RECEIPTS. 

Coal. 

Pass. 

Ert. 

Total. 

October 

$  912  47 

$6,812  93 

$  94  34 

$  7,819  74 

Xovember 

2,648  42 

6,223  44 

590  03 

9,461  89 

December 

1,792  43 

5,675  44 

1,768  45 

9,236  32 

$26,517  95 


EXPENSES. 

October $  4,501  15 

Xovember 5,350  60 

December 13,884  58 


23,736  33 

$  2,781  62 


15 


LEHIGH  VALLEY  RAILROAD, 
Office  of  Superintendent  and  Engineer. 

BETHLEHEM,  Xov.  30,  1856. 

To  J.  G.  FELL,  Esq., 

President  Lehigli  Valley  Railroad  Company. 

DEAR  SIR: 

During  the  winter  of  1855  I  was  instructed  to  contract  for 
coal  cars,  but  it  was  not  until  May  that  they  began  to  come  on 
and  then  very  slowly.  The  first  of  January,  1856,  your  rolling 
stock  consisted  of  one  first  class  passenger  engine,  -1  first  class 
freight  engines  and  one  fourth  class  engine,  purchased  from  the 
Beaver  Meadow  Company  for  the  repair  and  construction  train, 
4  passenger  cars,  2  coal  cars  and  5  hand  cars;  yet  with  this  dis- 
couraging state  of  affairs  at  the  beginning  of  the  year,  at  its 
close  an  amount  of  business  was  done  over  the  road  that  must 
satisfy  the  expectations  of  its  most  sanguine  friends,  and  should 
have  the  effect  of  placing  its  securities  high  in  public  favor. 
Owing  to  an  inadequate  supply  of  motive  power  and  cars  the 
coal  business  has  been  limited  and  has  cost  much  more  to  do, 
than  it  would  have  done  with  a  proper  equipment.  You  have 
paid  for  motive  power  $11,883.69  and  for  car  rent  $15,720.36, 
both  of  these  items  are  charged  to  coal  transportation.  The 
repairs  of  your  locomotives  have  been  large  from  two  causes, 
both  of  which  are  in  a  fair  way  of  being  removed.  The  first 
has  been  the  want  of  a  shop  of  our  own  in  which  to  do  the  neces- 
sary repairs,  the  latter  and  more  fruitful  source  of  trouble  has 
been  the  overworking  of  your  machinery,  running  the  engines 
upon  the  road  when  they  were  totally  unfit  for  service,  because 
you  had  none  to  replace  them  with  while  being  repaired;  add 
to  these  causes  you  had  one  injured  by  the  breaking  down  of  the 
bridge  at  Easton,  two  injured  in  a  collision,  and  have  had  to 
renew  the  furnace  of  the  old  engine  purchased  from  the  Beaver 
Meadow  Company,  these  repairs  amounting  to  over  $3,500, 
should  be  classed  as  "  extraordinary  repairs." 


16 

ROAD-BED.     The  road-bed  has  been  greatly  improved  during 
the  past  year,  all  the  slopes  that  have  caused  trouble  heretofore- 
have   been  removed,   the  side   ditches   have  been   thoroughly 
opened,  and  the  banks  in  many  places  widened. 

TKACK.  About  one-fourth  of  the  track  is  ballasted  with 
broken  stone  and  gravel,  about  f  of  a  mile  of  track  between 
Lehigh  Gap  and  Slatington  and  ^  mile  above  Lehigh  Gap,  which 
has  always  been  troublesome  and  expensive  to  keep  up,  has  been 
thoroughly  ballasted  with  broken  stone.  6.64  miles  of  second 
track  and  1.16  miles  of  side  track  have  been  graded.  In  addi- 
tion to  this  there  are  4.5  miles  of  second  track,  including  bridges 
and  trestling  and  rock  cuts,  that  were  graded  by  the  contractors 
in  making  the  first  track.  There  have  been  laid  during  the  past 
year  4.5  miles  of  second  track  and  1.16  miles  of  sidings.  The 
second  track  has  been  permanently  laid  with  rails  weighing  50 
pounds  per  yard  upon  cross-ties  7x6  inches  and  7^  feet  long, 
placed  2  feet  apart.  The  whole  amount  of  track  laid  now  is  as 
follows:  Main  track,  45.72  miles.  Second  track,  including 
Belvidere  Delaware  connection,  7.06  miles,  sidings,  1.22  miles. 
42  switches  have  been  put  in,  24  of  which  are  in  the  main  track 
and  18  in  the  second  track  and  sidings.  More  track  room  is 
necessary  at  Mauch  Chunk  on  which  to  make  up  the  trains  for 
the  different  roads.  This  seems  to  be  indispensably  necessary 
for  the  economical  management  of  business.  I  would  recom- 
mend the  grading  being  done  this  winter  so  that  it  may  be  laid 
early  in  the  spring.  There  should  also  be  a  half  mile  of  track 
laid  just  above  South  Easton.  This  is  all  graded  and  would 
require  but  little  expense  to  put  it  in  condition  to  receive  the 
rails.  The  track  has  been  throughout  the  year  and  is  now  in 
in  excellent  order,  no  -accident  of  any  kind  having  occurred 
from  any  defect  in  it. 

BRIDGES.  There  is  over  half  a  mile  of  truss  bridges,  and  a 
like  amount  of  trestling  upon  your  road,  all  of  which  is  now  in 
good  order.  In  the  month  of  August  one  span  of  180  feet  in 
length  of  the  bridge  at  Easton  connecting  the  Lehigh  Valley 
with  the  Central  Road  broke  down  while  two  locomotives  were 
passing  over  it.  Workmen  had  been  adjusting  the  bridge  a 
few  days  before,  and  probably  screwed  some  of  the  rods  a  little 


17 

tighter  than  others  thus  throwing  an  undue  strain  upon  a  few. 
Some  of  these  proving  defective  in  the  welds  gave  way  and  as 
the  whole  vitality  of  the  structure  depended  upon  the  rods  it  fell 
when  they  broke.  The  catastrophe  was  no  doubt  hastened  by 
]i;i->iiiir  t\vo  heavy  locomotives  over  together,  yet  it  would  even- 
tually have  given  way,  with  the  ordinary  trains  crossing  upon 
it.  There  were  seven  men  upon  the  engines  at  the  time,  all  of 
Avhom  escaped  without  serious  injury  except  one  of  the  firemen, 
who  was  drowned,  having  fallen  into  the  Morris  Canal,  and  be- 
ing- held  down  by  some  part  of  the  machinery.  One  of  the 
engineers  fell  the  entire  distance,  over  60  feet  into  the  canal 
amid  the  broken  timber  and  machinery,  yet,  strange  to  say, 
escaped  with  but  slight  injury.  This  span  of  the  bridge  being 
over  the  Belvidere  Delaware  Railroad  and  Moms  Canal,  the 
fall  of  it  obstructed  both  those  improvements  until  the  wreck 
could  be  removed,  which  occupied  4  days  in  doing.  The  con- 
nection with  Belvidere  Delaware  Railroad  remained  unbroken 
?o  that  the  coal  business  was  not  unfavorably  affected.  Passen- 
gers Avere  run  across  on  the  lower  track  until  the  connection 
with  the  Central  Railroad  was  completed,  which  was  accom- 
plished in  23  days.  Since  this  accident  nearly  all  the  bridges 
on  the  line  have  been  very  materially  strengthened  by  the  intro- 
duction of  additional  rods  and  braces.  A  competent  man,  AVm. 
Kellogg,  has  been  employed,  whose  business  it  is  to  examine  and 
keep  them  in  thorough  repair.  The  bridge  over  the  Delaware 
should  be  covered  as  soon  as  the  weather  will  permit,  also  that 
across  the  Lehigh  at  Mauch  Chunk,  across  the  Little  Leliigh  at 
Allentown  and  across  the  Saucon  at  Shiniersville.  The  water 
stations  are  in  good  condition  on  the  entire  line  of  the  road  and 
afford  at  all  times  an  abundant  supply  of  water.  There  have 
been  erected  this  year,  one  at  Parryville,  one  at  the  Gap,  one 
at  Hockendauqua  and  one  at  Bethlehem,  there  is  also  one  in  the 
course  of  construction  at  South  Easton  shops.  The  station  at 
Bethlehem  is  supplied  by  pumping  from  the  river  by  horse 
power.  I  Avould  recommend  the  erection  of  a  small  stationary 
engine  at  this  point  to  pump  AA^ater  and  saw  Avood.  The  Hoken- 
dauqua  station  is  supplied  AAith  hot  water  from  the  furnaces. 
At  South  Easton  the  water  Avill  be  pumped  from  the  canal  by 


18 

the  shop  power.  All  the  other  stations  are  supplied  from 
running  streams  or  springs. 

STATION  HOUSES.  There  has  been  a  passenger  and  freight 
house  erected  at  Easton  by  the  Central  Railroad  Company  on 
your  ground  to  be  used  jointly  by  the  two  Companies.  At  Free- 
mansburg,  Catasauqua,  Whitehall,  Slatington  and  Mauch  Chunk 
you  are  occupying  a  portion  of  the  buildings  erected  by  the 
Howard  Express  Company.  At  Bethlehem  you  are  occupying 
the  brick  dwelling  belonging  to  Mr.  Packer,  at  Allentown  a 
temporary  building  erected  by  the  Company.  At  Laury's, 
Rockdale,  Lehigh  Gap  and  Weissport  you  occupy  buildings 
erected  by  the  owners  of  property  at  those  points.  In  view  of 
the  completion  of  the  North  Pennsylvania  Railroad  and  its  con- 
nections with  your  road  at  Bethlehem  I  would  recommend  the 
erection  of  suitable  station  buildings,  for  the  use  of  both  Com- 
panies. At  Allentown  it  is  highly  necessary  that  better  accom- 
modations be  provided  for  the  travelling  public.  The  present 
buildings  are  too  small  and  totally  unfit  for  the  purpose.  There 
should  also  be  a  passenger  house  built  at  Catasauqua  and  Hoken- 
dauqua. 

ENGINE  HOUSE  AND  SHOPS.  These  buildings  are  so  far  com- 
pleted as  to  enable  us  to  house  4  locomotives  with  shop  room 
sufficient  to  do  the  repairs  for  a  year  or  two  to  come.  The 
stationary  engine  and  necessary  tools  have  been  contracted  for, 
and  by  the  15th  of  January  the  shop  will  be  in  operation.  It 
is  designed  to  complete  accommodations  for  5  more  locomotives 
this  winter.  If  additional  motive  power  is  purchased  in  the 
spring  it  will  be  necessary  to  extend  the  building.  A  black- 
'  smith  shop  and  shop  for  the  repairs  of  coal  cars  has  been  fitted 
up  at  this  point.  There  is  a  frame  engine  house  erected  at 
Mauch  Chunk  that  accommodates  two  locomotives;  this  is  in- 
sufficient for  the  requirements  of  the  business,  besides  being 
very  insecure.  In  conclusion,  I  would  say  that  although  from 
want  of  sufficient  equipment  our  business  has  not  been  done  as 
systematically  as  I  would  desire,  yet  in  point  of  economy  and 
freedom  from  accident  I  think  it  will  compare  favorably  with 
most  roads.  Our  passenger  trains  have  sometimes  failed  from 
unavoidable  causes  to  make  the  connections  with  our  connect- 


19 

ing  lines,  yet  throughout  the  severe  weather  of  last  winter  and 
the  heavy  slides  in  the  spring,  there  has  been  but  one  day  that 
the  usual  number  of  trips  were  not  made  over  the  road.  Under 
the  care  of  an  overruling  Providence  we  have  been  remarkably 
exempt  from  accident.  No  passenger  having  been  injured  in 
the  least.  There  has  been  but  one  passenger  car  off  the  track, 
and  that  was  caused  by  the  breaking  of  a  tender  axle. 


21 


L  REPORT  OF  TILE  LEHIGH  VALLEY  RAILROAD  COMPANY. 

The  Directors  of  The  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  Company  pre- 
<eiit  to  the  Stockholders  the  following  report,  for  the  year  ending 
Nov.  30th,  1857: 

Tl  10  Lchigli  Valley  is  mainly  a  coal  carrying  road;  more  than 
7~»  per  cent,  of  its  receipts  being  derived  from  the  transporta- 
tion of  that  article. 

The  whole  amount  carried  over  the  road  during  the  past  year, 
n;i-  4  1  v,235  tons,  and  wras  distributed  as  follows: 

To  the  Belvidere  Delaware  Railroad 121,648  tons 

"      "     Central  Railroad  of  Xew  Jersey 82,102     " 

"       "      North  Pennsylvania  Railroad 43,239     " 

"       "     Morris  Canal    14,023     " 

Delivered  on  the  line  of  the  road 157,223     " 


Total    418,235  tons 

Equal  to  342,970  tons  transported  over  the  whole  length  of 
the  road,  at  a  cost  of  39.7  cents  per  ton. 

During  the  same  period  there  were  carried  128,158  passen- 
gers, equal  to  42,627  over  the  whole  length  of  the  road,  at  a  cost 
of  60.7  cents  per  passenger. 

The  following  is  a  statement  of  the  ordinary  receipts  and 
expenditures: 

RECEIPTS. 

T<>  Coal  Transportation   $337,074  62 

Passenger     do            70,786  05 

Miscellaneous  freight 29,280  96 

Mail  4,045  83 


Total    $441,187  46 


*  This  is  copy  of  printed  report  presented  to  the  Stockholders  by  order 
of  the  Board  of  Directors,  by  the  President.  The  Superintendent's  original 
report,  of  which  this  is  a  short  extract,  has  been  mislaid  and  cannot  be 
found. 


22 


EXPENDITURES. 

For  Coal  Transportation $136,304  67 

"    Passenger        do        25,896  66 

"    Jliscellaneous  freight 10,106  27 

"    Mail 154  99      172,462  59 


Balance   Net   Earnings $268,724  87 

Against  which  has  been  charged: 

Interest  on  bonds $76,710  00 

"         "   floating  debt 34,418  51 

Salaries  of  President  and  Treasurer 

and  Expenses  of  Philad'a  Office. .         8,928  98      120,057  49 


Leaving  a  Credit  balance  of $148,667  38 

It  is  proposed  to  credit  the  dividend  account  with  $107,670, 
being  six  per  cent,  upon  the  amount  of  stock  issued;  and  the 
balance,  $40,997.38,  to  the  contingent  account,  against  which 
will  be  charged  the  future  purchases  of  iron  and  materials  neces- 
sary to  maintain  the  work. 

The  road  having  been  in  operation  but  two  years,  the  officers 
have  not  learned  from  actual  experience,  the  average  deterior- 
ation of  the  superstructure  and  machinery,  'but  the  above  amount 
is  a  very  large  allowance  for  that  object. 
During  the  year  there  has  been 

Expended  upon  Construction $98,892   12 

"            "      Machine  Shops   6,000  00 

u      Telegraph  line 2,440  00 

"      Real  Estate 2,847  80 

"            "      Locomotives 47,250  00 

"      Cars 104,477   96 

There  are  laid  and  in  use  57.8  miles  of  track,  as  follows: — 
45.72  miles  of  main  track,  and  12  miles  of  second  track  and 
sidings.  There  are  also  8  miles  of  grading  ready  to  lay,  making 
nearly  one-half  of  the  whole  road  graded  for  a  double  track. 

The  plan  pursued  by  the  Company,  of  gradually  pushing  out 


23 

the  double  track,  will,  in  the  course  of  a  few  years,  secure  its 
completion;  the  excavations,  bridging  and  masonry  being  cal- 
culated for  a  double  track. 

The  equipment  of  the  road  consists  of  15  locomotive  engines, 
«'•  passenger  and  2  baggage  cars,  504  five-ton,  and  305  ten-ton 
coal  cars,  besides  61  platform,  gravel,  ore  and  hand  cars,  equal 
to  the  transportation  of  500,000  tons  of  coal,  with  the  estimated 
]>:i>s( -Hirer  and  merchandise  business.  The  engine  houses,  water 
star  ions  and  shops,  are  sufficient  for  the  business  of  the  year,  and 
ir  is  the  purpose  of  the  Board  to  limit  the  expenditure  to  the 
ordinary  repairs.  If  this  purpose  is  rigidly  adhered  to,  and  the 
business  of  the  year  proves  equal  to  the  last,  the  Company  will 
be  enabled  to  liquidate  the  entire  floating  debt.  Though  the 
amount  of  this  debt  is  not  large,  yet  such  is  the  distrust  of  the 
public  in  regard  to  railroad  securities,  that  the  Board  have  had 
to  submit  to  the  dictation  of  rates  of  interest,  which  the  ability 
of  the  Company  for  ultimate  payment  ought  to  have  secured 
them  from.  AVe  have  also  had  the  mortification  to  see  our  bonds 
linger  at  prices  much  below  their  value,  when  compared  with 
other  securities  upon  the  market.  The  first  and  only  mortgage 
upon  the  road  is  for  1,500,000  dollars.  The  interest  has  been 
punctually  paid  out  of  the  earnings,  leaving  for  the  stock  during 
the  past  year  six  per  cent.,  with  a  large  contingent  fund.  That 
bonds  of  this  class  should  command  but  65  per  cent,  at  this  time, 
is  an  indication  that  capitalists  have  not  informed  themselves 
of  their  real  value. 

The  peculiar  location  of  the  road  is  such  as  to  command  a  large 
trade  with  the  least  outlay  of  capital.  At  Mauch  Chunk  it  con- 
nects with  the  Beaver  Meadow  Road,  by  which  it  has  access  to 
the  extensive  and  rapidly  developing  coal  fields  of  the  Upper 
Lehigh.  The  success  of  the  Beaver  Meadow  Railroad,  now  pay- 
ing 10  per  cent,  per  annum  on  its  stock,  is  some  assurance  what 
the  Lehigh  Valley  may  do  in  a  short  time.  At  Bethlehem,  we 
connect  with  the  Xorth  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  and  at  Easton 
with  the  Belvidere  Delaware  and  Central  Railroads  of  Xew 
Jersey,  thus  giving  us  the  benefit  of  three  commanding  outlets, 
all  competing  for  the  trade  of  our  road,  and  saving  us  from  the 
cost  of  expensive  terminal  arrangements. 


24 

The  Fogelsville  Railroad,  extending  from  Catasauqua  to 
Fogelsville,  in  Lehigli  County,  was  completed  during  the  past 
year.  This  road  was  constructed  for  the  purpose  of  affording 
a  supply  of  iron  ore  to  the  various  furnaces  along  the  line  of  the 
Lehigh  Valley  Eoad.  This  trade,  now  of  great  magnitude  and 
importance,  is  destined  to  a  large  annual  increase,  the  Valley 
of  the  Lehigh  possessing  advantages  for  the  production  of  iron 
unsurpassed  by  any  locality  in  the  United  States. 

GRADES.  The  grades  of  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  are 
highly  favorable,  being  an  easy  descent  in  the  direction  of  the 
trade.  As  an  evidence  of  this  we  will  state  the  performance 
of  two  of  our  engines.  During  the  six  months  from  April  to 
September,  inclusive,  the  engine  *"  Catasauqua "  ran  11,236 
miles,  and  hauled  11,231  loaded,  and  11,246  empty  cars,  of  five 
tons  each.  In  the  month  of  July,  the  engine  "  Lehigh  "  made 
26  round  trips,  with  an  average  load  of  535  tons  of  coal  per  day. 
These  engines  were  built  by  Norris  &  Son,  upon  Phlegers  patent 
for  coal  burners. 

The  Board  have  not  aimed  to  increase  their  trade  by  a  reduc- 
tion of  the  rates  below  those  of  the  Lehigh  Canal,  but  have 
relied  for  their  share  upon  the  peculiar  facilities  which  the  road 
affords  for  a  portion  of  the  business;  and  we  take  the  occasion 
to  express  our  gratification  with  the  harmony  that  exists  between 
the  two  Companies. 

It  remains  for  us  to  say,  that  the  Company  are  much  indebted 
to  the  energy  and  devoted  attention  of  their  Superintendent, 
R.  H.  Sayre,  and  their  Cashier,  John  P.  Cox,  and  to  the  various 
officers  under  them,  for  the  performance  of  their  duties. 

By  order  of  the  Board. 

J.  GL  FELL,  President. 

Philadelphia,  January  11,  1858. 


*  Blew  up  at  Catasauqua,  Maj^  16th,  1862. 


25 


[Reprint  from  Letter  Circular.'] 


ANNUAL     REPORT 


OF    THE 


LEHIGH  VALLEY  KAILROAD  COMPANY. 


The  Directors  of  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  Company  present  to  the  stock- 
holders the  following  report,  for  the  year  ending  November  30,  1858  : — 

The  amount  of  Coal  transported  over  the  road  for  the  year,  was  471,029 
tons,  and  was  distributed  as  follows : — 

To  the  Belvidere  Delaware  Railroad,  96,141  tons. 

"      Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey,       -        -  122,000     " 

"      North  Pennsylvania  Railroad,       -  66,123     " 

"      Catasauqua  and  Foglesville  Railroad,       -  4.012     " 

"      Morris  Canal,  5,870     " 

Delivered  on  line  of  road, 176,883     " 


Total,     471,029     " 

Equal  to  363,141  tons  transported  over  the  whole  length  of  the  road. 
During  the  same  period,  there  was  carried  117,745  passengers,  equal  to 
36,925  over  the  whole  length  of  the  road. 

The  following  is  a  statement  of  the  ordinary  receipts  and  expenditures : 

RECEIPTS. 

For  Coal  transportation,  $338,800  05 

Passenger     "  55  387  45 

Express  and  Mails,          - 5.679  47 

Miscellaneous  freight, 42,17838 


§442,045  35 

EXPENDITURES. 

For  Coal  transportation,  -        §151,400  73 

Passenger  and  Express  transportation,       27,881  57 
Mail  and  Freight  15,391  46 


194,673  76 
Balance,  net  earnings, $247,371  59 


26 

Against  which. has  been  charged: 

Interest  on  Bonds,     -                 •        -  $84,300  00 

Current  interest,  .  16,939  22 

Salaries  and  office  expenses,  6,760  00 

Dividend  in  December,         -        -  -        -     112,138  00 

220,137  22 


Leaving  a  credit  balance  of    $27,234  37 

Included  in  the  ordinary  expenditures  as  above  stated,  is  the  sum  of 
$17,208.90,  used  for  the  purchase  of  railroad  iron  and  other  materials,  and 
for  the  settlement  of  sundry  claims  for  damages  by  fire,  etc. 

A  portion  of  the  iron  was  used  for  the  construction  of  the  double  track, 
but  as  we  had  sufficient  margin  in  our  net  receipts  to  cover  it,  we  thought 
better  to  put  it  all  into  the  current  expenses,  than  to  fall  into  the  too  com- 
mon error  of  increasing  the  permanent  accounts. 

During  the  year,  there  has  been 

Charged  to  Construction,        -  -                                      $56,795  71 

Machine  Shops,  1,825  75 

Telegraph  Line,    -  1,295  86 

Real  Estate,  2,850  79 

"            Car  account,  2,025  00 

The  Telegraph  line  was  completed  and  opened  for  use  in  the  latter  part 
of  January.  The  advantages  to  railroad  operations,  from  the  use  of  this 
invention,  are  very  great,  especially  on  lines  where  there  is  not  a  continu- 
ous double  track. 

An  engine-house  was  completed  early  in  the  year  at  Mauch  Chunk,  for 
the  accommodation  of  four  engines. 

There  has  been  laid  during  the  year,  1  8-10  miles  of  siding;  11  switches 
put  in  the  main  and  second  track;  7%  miles  main  track  thoroughly 
ballasted,  and  1%  miles  of  second  track  and  sidings  graded. 

The  repairs  upon  the  upper  sections  of  our  road  (27^  miles),  laid  origi- 
nally with  the  Danville  and  English  iron,  have  been  much  heavier  than 
upon  the  remaining  portion  of  the  road,  which  was  principally  laid  with 
Phoenixville  iron.  On  the  first  named  portion,  124  bars  per  mile  have  been 
repaired  and  renewed,  while  on  the  latter,  but  34  bars  per  mile. 

It  will  be  necessary  to  make  provision  for  rebuilding  the  bridges  at  Mauch 
Chunk,  Allentown,  Freemansburg  and  two  spans  of  the  bridge  at  Easton. 
It  is  believed  that  the  present  wooden  structures  should  be  replaced  by  iron, 
as  being  free  from  the  liability  to  decay  and  the  accidents  of  fire,  and  in 
the  end  more  economical. 

The  Quakake  Road,  connecting  the  Beaver  Meadow  and  Catawissa  Roads, 
was  opened  during  the  Fall.  Our  road  is  thus  brought  into  a  connected 
line  from  New  York  and  Philadelphia  to  Northern  Pennsylvania  and  West- 
ern New  York.  If  but  a  small  portion  of  the  anticipations  of  some  are 
realized,  the  importance  to  our  road,  from  being  connected  with  the  trade 
of  those  sections,  can  hardly  be  estimated. 


The  East  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  connecting  with  our  road  at  Allentown, 
and  the  Lebanon  Valley  at  Reading,  will  be  open  for  use  early  in  the 
Spring. 

The  friends  of  that  enterprise  are  confident  that  a  large  business  in  the 
transportation  of  live  stock  and  other  heavy  articles,  between  the  West  and 
New  York  may  be  carried  on  over  this  route.  Seventeen  miles  of  our  road 
will  be  used  in  this  connection,  and  the  trade  is  confidently  relied  upon  to 
swell  our  annual  revenue. 

To  prepare  for  the  various  increasing  demands  which  will  be  made  upon 
us,  will  necessarily  call  upon  the  Company  to  push  forward  without  much 
delay,  until  completed,  their  second  track,  with  the  requisite  stations, 
machine  shops  and  appliances,  besides  procuring  a  running  equipment 
commensurate  with  the  business  to  be  done. 

The  various  competing  lines  from  the  different  coal  fields  to  tide-water, 
are  struggling  to  secure  a  full  share  of  this  important  trade.  Whatever 
advantages  may  be  secured  for  the  present  by  any  one  of  the  lines,  through 
spasmodic  exertions  or  very  low  charges,  will  have  to  be  yielded  in  the 
end,  unless  supported  by  the  real  advantages  of  favorable  distance  and 
grade,  as  compared  with  its  competitors. 

By  a  comparison  on  these  points  of  the  Lehigh  Valley  and  its  connections 
with  other  routes,  it  will  be  seen  that  we  need  not  fear  the  ultimate  result. 

It  remains  for  us  to  say  that  the  Company  are  much  indebted  to  their 
various  officers,  for  the  faithful  and  diligent  discharge  of  their  duties. 
By  order  of  the  Board, 

J.  G.  FELL,  President. 
Philadelphia,  January  10,  1859. 


29 


LEHIGH  VALLEY  RAILROAD, 
Office  of  the  Superintendent  and  Engineer. 

BETHLEHEM,  Jan'y  4,  1850. 

•I.  ( i.  FELL,  Esq., 

President  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad. 

DEAR  SIR: 

I  herewith  submit  report  of  the  business  of  the  Lehigh  Valley 
Railroad  for  fiscal  year  ending  November  30,  1858. 

The  whole  amount  of  coal  carried  over  the  road  was  471,029 
tons  (being  an  increase  of  52,794  tons  over  last  year)  and  was 
distributed  as  follows: 

To  the  Belvidere  Delaware  Railroad 96,141  tons 

"      "     Central  Railroad  of  -Xew  Jersey 122,000  " 

"     "     Xorth  Pennsylvania  Railroad 66,123  " 

"     "     Catasauqua  A:  Eogelsville  Railroad 4,012  " 

"     "     Morris  Canal 5,870  " 

Delivered  on  line  of  the  road,  including  Phillips- 
burg,  Cooper's  Furnace,  &c 176,883  " 


Total    .......................    471,029  tons 


Equal  to  363,  l4l  tons  transported  over  the  w?hole  length  of 
the  road,  at  a  cost  of  41.2  cents  per  ton  (2  more  than  last  year). 
During  the  same  period  there  were  carried  117,745  passengers 
(being  a  decrease  from  last  year  of  10,143)  equal  to  36,925  over 
the  whole  length  of  the  road  at  a  cost  of  75.5  per  passenger 
(14.S  cents  more  than  last  year).  The  pig  iron,  iron  ore,  lime 
stone  and  miscellaneous  freight  has  increased  largely  this  year. 
The  ore  and  lime  stone  have  been  transported  by  the  Thomas 
Iron  Company  principally  —  we  have  received  the  tolls  only. 
The  following  is  a  statement  of  the  ordinary  receipts  and  ex- 
penditures. In  the  latter  is  included  all  the  iron,  timber  and 
labor  for  strengthening  and  protecting  the  bridges  and 
trestlings.  The  masonry  has  been  charged  to  construction. 


30 

RECEIPTS. 

From  Coal  Transportation $338,800  05 

"       Passenger     do           55,387  45 

Express 3,379  47 

"       Mails    2,300  00 

"       Freight .  42,178  38 


$442,045  35 
EXPENDITURES. 

For  Coal  Transportation $151,400  73 

"    Passenger  and  Express  Trans- 
portation         27,881  57 

"    Mail 92  50 

"    Freight   15,298  96      $194,673  76 


Balance  E"et  Earnings $247,371  59 

Compared  with  last  year  the  receipts  from  coal 

transportation  show  an  increase  of $1,725  43 

From  passengers  a  decrease  of 12,019  13 

"      freight  an  increase  of 12,897  42 

"      mails  a  decrease  of 1,745  83 

The  increased  receipts  from  coal  bears  no  proportion  to  the 
increased  quantity  transported,  from  the  fact  that  the  freight 
was  reduced  early  in  the  season.  The  decreased  receipts  from 
passengers  is  attributable  to  three  causes,  viz.:  The  reduced 
amount  received  from  express  companies.  The  general  prostra- 
tion of  business,  and  the  fact  that  our  trains  have  not  been  run  so 
as  to  afford  good  accommodations  to  the  local  travel.  The  in- 
creased receipts  from  freight  proceeds  from  the  largely  increased 
amount  transported  together  with  a  new  arrangement  effected 
with  Howard  &  Co.  for  doing  the  business.  The  decrease  from 
mail  has  been  owing  to  the  receipts  for  service  in  1856  being 
included  in  last  year.  It  has  been  our  custom  to  return  the 
receipts  of  one  month  with  the  expenditures  of  the  one  pre- 
ceding it.  This  was  done  as  a  matter  of  convenience.  I  thought 
proper  to  change  the  plan  and  have  therefore  in  addition  to  the 


31 

expenditures  for  the  12  months  ending  October  31,  added  the 
pay  rolls  of  Xovember  amounting  to  $6,713.47. 

During  the  year  there  has  been  charged  to  construction 
$24.275.16.  To  machine  shop  $1,825.76.  To  telegraph 
$1,295.86.  To  real  estate  $2,851.79.  To  cars  $2,025.  The 
telegraph  line  was  completed  and  opened  for  use  in  the  latter 
part  of  January.  An  engine  house  was  completed  early  in  the 
year  at  Mauch  Chunk  for  the  accommodation  of  4  engines. 
Another  for  the  engine  of  the  repair  and  construction  train  is 
very  much  needed  about  the  middle  of  the  road. 

During  the  excessive  dry  weather  of  the  past  season  it  became 
necessary  to  increase  our  water  tanks.  Three  large  ones  have 
been  erected.  One  at  South  Easton,  one  at  Hokendauqua  and 
another  at  Rockdale.  We  will  require  another  at  the  Gap  and 
one  near  Slatington  to  insure  us  a  full  supply  of  water  at  all 
times.  There  have  been  laid  during  the  past  year  1.8  miles  of 
sidings,  11  switches  put  in  main  and  second  track,  7.5  miles  of 
main  track  thoroughly  ballasted,  and  1J  miles  of  second  track 
and  sidings  graded. 

The  repairs  upon  the  four  upper  sections  of  our  road,  a  dis- 
tance of  27.5  miles,  laid  originally  with  Danville,  Trenton  and 
English  iron,  have  been  very  much  heavier  than  upon  the  re- 
maining portion  of  the  road,  which  was  laid  with  Phoenixville 
iron  principally.  On  the  first  named  portion  124  bars  per  mile 
have  been  repaired  and  renewed.  On  the  last  named  34  bars 
per  mile  have  been  repaired  and  renewed. 

An  additional  track  will  be  wanted  at  Easton  if  any  amount 
of  coal  is  to  be  shipped  via  Delaware  Division. 

It  would  facilitate  matters  very  much  to  have  the  second 
track  completed  from  Mauch  Chunk  to  Parryville,  from  Laury's 
to  Catasauqua,  and  from  Bethlehem  to  Ereemansburg.  If  our 
business  does  not  increase  so  as  to  make  it  absolutely  necessary 
I  think  it  would  be  good  policy  to  do  this  work  and  it  would 
insure  more  regularity  in  our  trains,  and  enable  us  to  run  our 
heavy  ones  at  a  reduced  rate  of  speed.  Two  of  our  small 
bridges,  one  of  15  the  other  of  20  feet  span,  have  been  replaced 
by  substantial  stone  arches.  It  will  be  necessary  to  make  pro- 
vision for  rebuilding  the  bridges  at  Mauch  Chunk,  Allentown, 
Freemansburg,  and  two  spans  at  Easton.  Suitable  station 


32 

houses  are  very  much  needed  at  Bethlehem,  Allentown  and 
Mauch  Chunk.  The  question  of  stand  room  for  loaded  and 
empty  cars  at  Mauch  Chunk  is  one  of  importance.  Consider- 
able extra  labor  is  required  for  the  business  we  are  now  doing. 
How  a  largely  increased  business  can  be  accommodated  there 
remains  to  be  seen.  Suitable  shops  for  the  repairs  of  engines 
and  cars  should  be  erected.  We  are  now  using  a  part  of  our 
engine  house  at  South  Easton.  It  is  too  small  and  unfit  for  the 
amount  of  work  to  be  done.  We  should  have  a  convenient  shop 
and  more  tools  to  do  the  repairs  economically. 

Our  equipment  has  been  increased  but  little.  Six  five-ton 
and  four  ten-ton  cars  have  been  added.  We  have  always  been 
short  of  motive  power,  which  has  been  the  principal  cause  of 
the  large  repairs  put  upon  it.  In  addition  to  the  two  engines 
ordered  we  want  another  for  the  freight.  This  might  be  fitted 
up  in  our  own  shop  by  purchasing  the  frame  and  castings. 
The  advantage  of  this  arrangement  would  be  that  we  would  have 
an  extra  force  that  would  be  of  service  in  case  of  extraordinary 
repairs.  Our  connections  are  increasing,  and  I  trust  the  policy 
of  our  Board  will  be  to  cultivate  and  encourage  trade  from  all 
and  to  offer  reasonable  facilities  for  the  business  we  may  derive 
from  them.  The  travel  and  freight  from  the  Quakake  thus  far 
has  been  light,  but  I  am  satisfied  that  it  can  be  largely  increased 
by  pursuing  a  proper  policy. 

The  East  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  will  complete  their 
road  in  the  spring,  forming  a  new  and  direct  route  between 
New  York  and  the  West.  They  will  expect  their  passengers 
and  freight  to  be  transferred  over  our  road  without  change  of 
cars. 

With  the  exception  of  the  disaster  caused  by  the  breaking 
down  of  the  Allentown  Bridge  we  have  been  remarkably  exempt 
from  accident.  No  passenger  travelling  upon  our  road  has  been 
injured  in  the  slightest. 

My  acknowledgments  are  due  to  my  assistants  for  the  eco- 
nomical, skillful  and  energetic  manner  in  which  they  have  per- 
formed the  duties  devolving  upon  them. 

Yours  respectfully, 

ROBT.  H.  SAYRE, 
Superintendent  and  Engineer. 


[Reprint  from  Letter  Circular.] 

ANNUAL     REPORT 

OF     THE 

LEHIGH  YALLEY  RAILROAD  COMPANY 

FOR  THE  YEAR  ENDING  NOVEMBER  30,  1859. 


The  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  Company  present 
to  the  Stockholders  the  following  Report  of  the  operations  of  the  Company 
for  the  year  ending  November  30,  1859. 

Referring  to  the  comprehensive  Report  of  the  Superintendent  and  Engi- 
neer, R.  H.  SAYRE,  Esq.,  they  do  not  deem  it  essential  to  refer  to  the  details. 
The  chief  business  of  the  Road  is  the  transportation  of  Anthracite  Coal ; 
74^  per  cent,  of  the  entire  receipts  being  derived  from  that  source.  The 
relation  of  the  Lehigh  Valley  Road,  therefore,  to  this  great  interest,  is  that 
which  mainly  engages  the  attention  of  its  Stockholders.  We  do  not  mean 
to  disregard  the  ordinary  freight  and  passenger  traffic ;  but  while  giving 
those  departments  all  reasonable  encouragement,  the  general  arrangement 
and  equipment  of  the  work  has  reference  to  the  heavy  transportation  of 
coal  and  iron. 

The  whole  amount  of  coal  transported  over  the  Road  was  577,651  tons, 
against  471,029  tons  for  the  year  1858;  being  an  increase  of  106,622  tons, 
and  was  distributed  as  follows : 

1859.  1858. 

To  the  Belvidere  Del.  R.  R. ,        -  181,152  tons.       96,141  tons. 

"      Central  R.  R.  of  N.  Jersey,  182,222     "        122,000     «• 

"      North  Pennsylvania  R.  R.,  77,483     "          66,123     " 

"      East  Pennsylvania  R.  R. ,  3,579     " 

"      Catasauqua  &  F.  R.  R. ,    -  4,384     "  4,012     " 

"      Morris  Canal,        -  4,688     "  5,870     " 

Delivered  on  line  of  Road,  -        -        -     174,143     "        176,883     " 


Total,        ....        577,651     "        471,029     " 

It  will  be  perceived  that  the  increase  is  altogether  from  through  coal, 
arising  from  the  fact  that  our  rates  approximated  nearer  to  competing  rates 
than  heretofore. 


The  following  is  a  statement  of  the  receipts  and  expenditures : 


RECEIPTS. 

From  Coal  Transportation, 

"      Passengers,  Express  and  Mail, 
"      Miscellaneous  Freight, 


EXPENDITURES. 

For  Coal  Transportation,  $160,895  67 

"    Passengers,  Express  and  Mail,  -  28,085  76 

"    Miscellaneous  Freight,    -  22,991  07 

Balance,  Net  Earnings, 

Against  which  has  been  charged: 

Interest  on  Bonds,  $85,020  00 

Current  Interest,  8,257  86 

Salaries  and  Office  Expenses,      ;  -  6,259  40 
Dividend  in  December,  being  6  per  cent, 

per  year,  ending  Nov.  30,      -  117,981  00 

Leaving  a  Credit  Balance  of  - 


$391,766  81 
68,161  70 
65,937  97 

$525,866  48 


211.972  50 
313,893  98 


217,518  26 
$96,375  72 


$62,797.06  of  which  has  been  used  in  new  constructions  during  the  year, 
and  the  balance  applied  to  liquidating  the  debts  of  the  Company. 

Of  the  $1,500,000  authorized  to  be  issued  under  the  first  and  only  mort- 
gage of  the  Company,  $83,000  still  remain  unsold.  This  amount  has  been 
kept  as  a  reserve,  in  case  of  any  extraordinary  demand  upon  the  resources 
of  the  Company. 

They  have  been  able  to  keep  the  floating  debt  within  the  limits  represen- 
ted by  the  ordinary  purchases  of  materials  for  the  maintenance  of  the  work. 
This  is  very  encouraging  when  we  regard  its  rapid  development. 

During  the  year  the  East  Pennsylvania  Railroad  was  finished  and  put  in- 
to use.  This  Road  forms  part  of  a  line  from  New  York  to  the  West,  and 
sanguine  hopes  are  entertained  by  its  builders  that  a  share  of  the  trade 
between  those  points  will  be  carried  over  it.  Seventeen  miles  of  the  Lehigh 
Valley  Road  will  be  used  in  this  connection. 

The  business  from  the  Quakake  connection  has  produced  to  the  Com- 
pany a  gross  revenue  of  about  twelve  thousand  dollars,  which  was  earned 
without  material  increase  of  expenditure.  Viewed  in  this  light,  the  aid 
extended  to  that  work  may  be  regarded  with  favor. 

The  peculiar  advantages  of  the  valley  of  the  Lehigh,  for  the  production 
of  iron,  are  becoming  every  day  more  apparent.  The  furnaces  along  the 
line  of  the  Road  make  annually  upwards  of  150,000  tons  of  pig  iron,  at  as 
low  a  cost  as  in  any  other  location  in  the  Union. 

There  is  now  being  erected  at  Allentown  a  large  Rolling  Mill  for  the  man- 


35 

ufacture  of  railroad  iron,  which  will  no  doubt  be  followed  by  others  of 
similar  character. 

The  remarkable  position  of  the  Lehigh  Valley,  in  reference  to  the  three 
great  coal  fields,  with  the  New  York  and  Eastern  markets,  is  claiming  the 
attention  of  all  parties  interested. 

There  is  no  question  that  the  best  outlet  for  a  large  portion  of  the  Wyom- 
ing Valley  is  through  Solomon's  Gap,  and  thence  to  the  Lehigh.  Fifteen 
miles  of  railroad  from  Penn  Haven  to  White  Haven  will  give  uninterrupted 
communication  by  rail  from  both  Philadelphia  and  New  York,  thus  giving 
an  impetus  to  the  trade  heretofore  unfelt. 

Parties  feeling  a  deep  interest  in  that  work  have  already  taken  steps 
towards  its  construction  ;  thus  placing  its  early  completion  as  a  probable 
result. 

The  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  will  be  benefitted  throughout  its  entire 
length  by  the  filling  up  of  this  link. 

The  Lehigh  Luzerne  Railroad,  connecting  the  Hazleton  Road  with  the 
Black  Creek  Valley,  was  finished  during  the  year,  by  which  a  large  and 
valuable  field  of  superior  coal  was  opened  to  the  market. 

The  feelings  of  the  people  of  Schuylkill  County,  in  regard  to  the  value  of 
the  Lehigh  Valley  as  an  outlet,  is  evidenced  by  their  earnest  efforts  to  pro- 
cure the  completion  of  the  East  Mahanoy,  Tamaqua  and  Lehighton,  and 
Auburn  and  Allentown  Railroads ;  all  of  which  connect  with  the  Lehigh 
Valley  Railroad,  and  by  it  give  to  their  respective  regions  the  most  direct 
route  to  New  York. 

The  Delaware  and  Raritan  Canal  Company  are  now  engaged  in  the 
erection  of  extensive  facilities  at  Arnboy  for  the  transhipment  of  coal, 
which,  when  completed,  will  create  additional  inducements  for  trade  to 
seek  this  direction  to  market. 

The  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey  has  increased  its  shipping  capacity  at 
Elizabethport  to  an  extent  that  will  meet  the  full  requirements  of  the 
present  trade  in  that  direction. 

The  coal  trade,  after  several  seasons  of  depression,  is  now  experiencing 
the  invigorating  effects  of  a  healthy  demand,  and  we  do  not  entertain  a 
doubt  that  as  much  trade  will  be  offered  to  us  as  our  equipments  will 
accommodate. 

Upon  the  whole,  we  congratulate  our  Stockholders  upon  the  present 
position  and  future  prospects  of  the  work. 

By  order  of  the  Board, 

J.  G.  FELL,   President. 
Philadelphia,  January  9,  1860. 


01 


LEHIGH  VALLEY  RAILROAD, 
Office  of  the  Superintendent  and  Engineer. 

BETHLEHEM,  Jan'y  4,  1860. 

J.  G.  FELL.  Esq., 

President  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad. 

DEAR  SIR: 

The  following  report  of  the  business  of  The  Lehigh  Valley 
Railroad  for  the  fiscal  year  ending  Xovember  30th,  1859,  is  re- 
spectfully submitted. 

The  whole  amount  of  coal  transported  over  the  road  was 
577.051  tons,  and  was  distributed  as  follows: 

To  the  Belvidere  Delaware  Railroad 131,152  tons 

"     "     Central  Railroad  of  Xew  Jersey 182,222  " 

"     "     North  Pennsylvania  Railroad 77,483  " 

"     "     East  Pennsylvania          do          3,579  " 

"     "     Catasauqua  and  Fogelsville  Railroad 4,384  " 

"     "     Morris  Canal    4,688  " 

Delivered  on  the  line  of  the  road 174,143  " 


Total 577,651  tons 

Equal  to  480,753  tons  transported  over  the  whole  length  of 
the  road. 

During  the  same  period  there  were  carried  126,672  passen- 
ircivs,  equal  to  41,981  over  the  whole  length  of  the  road. 

The  pig  iron,  iron  ore,  lime  stone  and  miscellaneous  freight 
show  a  large  and  satisfactory  increase  this  year  and  amounts 
in  the  aggregate  to  186,774  tons.  The  following  is  a  statement 
of  the  ordinary  receipts  and  expenditures: 

RECEIPTS. 

Erom  Coal  Transportation .     $391,766  81 

Passenger,   Express  and  Mail 68,161   70 

Freight 65,937  97 


$525,866  48 


38 

EXPENDITURES. 

.For  Coal  Transportation $160,896  07 

"     Passenger,  Express  and  Mail.       28,085  76 

"     Freight 22,991  07         211,972  90 


Balance  net  earnings $313,893  58 

Compared  with  last  year  the  receipts  from  coal 

transportation  show  an  increase  of $52,966  76 

From  passenger,   mail   and   express   transportation 

show  an  increase  of 7,094  78 

"      freight  transportation  show  an  increase  of..       23,759   59 

The  number  of  miles  run  by  coal  and  freight  trains  was 
138,551,  and  the  receipts  per  mile  run  were  $3.30. 

The  number  of  miles  run  by  passenger  trains  was  75,920,  and 
the  receipts  per  mile  run  were  89.7  cents. 

Total  mileage  of  all  trains,  including  gravel  trains,  241,439. 

Average  receipts  from  all  sources  per  mile  run  were  $2.18. 

The  cost  per  mile  run,  including  all  trains,  87.8  cents. 

During  the  year  there  has  been  charged  to  construction: 

For  grading  and  masonry  for  new  shops  at  South 

Easton    $  9,418  72 

"     labor  on  second  track  and  sidings 12,318  25 

"     railroad  ties,  chairs,  spikes  and  frogs 5,470  00 

"     old  railroad  iron  used  for  second  track  and 

sidings  and  on  hand 25,000  00 

"     covering  bridges 3,614  16 

"     engine  house  and  boarding  house  at  Laury's  1,088  97 
"     car  shop,  smith  shop,  passenger  car  house  at 

Mauch  Chunk 2,423  93 

"     store  house  and  new  tank 381  34 

"     connection  at  Delaware  Canal  basin 101  83 

"     Masonry  at  Easton  bridge  and  culverts 3,049  12 


Making   a   total   of $62,866  32 

There  has  been  charged  to  machine  shops  (for  tools  and  ma- 
chinery) the  sum  of  $4,834.93,  and  to  real  estate  $1,259.97. 


89 

During  the  past  year  there  have  been  2. IS  miles  of  second 
track  and  2.17  miles  of  sidings  laid.  There  are  now  in  use  (in- 
chiding  the  Bt-lvidere  Delaware  Railroad  connections)  13  miles 
ond  track  and  5.85  miles  of  sidings.  Two  miles  of  second 
track  arid  nearly  two  miles  of  sidings  have  been  graded,  and 
there  are  now  10  miles  of  second  track  graded  ready  for  the 
rails.  One  span  of  bridge  of  130  feet  and  the  trestling  at  the 
connection  with  the  Belvidere  Delaware  Railroad  has  been  re- 
moved and  an  embankment  substituted.  One  span  of  165  feet 
of  the  bridge  connecting  the  Central  Railroad  with  ours  has  been 
replaced  by  a  substantial  iron  structure.  The  main  bridge  at 
Easton,  those  over  Balliet's  Creek,  Trout  Creek  and  Lizzard 
Creek  have  been  enclosed  and  painted.  One  truss  of  66  feet 
span  across  the  public  road  near  Easton,  one  of  35  feet  span  at 
Allentown  and  one  of  37  feet  span  near  Catasauqua  have  been 
rebuilt.  There  has  been  expended  on  bridges,  exclusive  of  the 
iron  one,  $7,288.83.  The  necessary  walls  have  been  erected  at 
Coplay  Station  to  dispense  with  670  feet  lineal  of  trestling  by 
substituting  an  embankment  which  we  are  now  at  work  upon. 
We  are  also  widening  the  rock  cut  at  Easton  with  a  view  of  dis- 
pensing with  600  feet  lineal  of  trestling  at  that  point.  The 
grading  of  the  grounds  about  the  engine  house  and  shops  at 
South  Easton  is  completed  and  the  foundations  laid  for  machine, 
boiler  and  blacksmith  shops  of  sufficient  dimensions  to  accom- 
modate our  repairs  for  a  number  of  years.  A  stone  building 
138  by  36,  two  stories  high,  has  been  erected  for  the  purpose  of 
repairing  and  building  cars.  There  has  been  expended  in  these 
improvements  $9,4]  8.72.  There  has  been  an  engine  house  built 
at  Laury's  Station  for  the  accommodation  of  the  engine  used  on 
the  construction  and  repair  train. 

There  has  also  been  a  boarding  house  erected  for  the  men 
engaged  with  the  train.  Extensive  repairs  have  been  made  to 
the  lii'ist  mill  on  our  property  at  the  mouth  of  Mahoning  Creek, 
and  a  storehouse  erected  for  receiving  grain  and  shipping  the 
products  of  the  mill.  At  Mauch  Chunk  a  shop  was  purchased 
and  a  blacksmith  shop  built  for  the  repairs  of  coal  cars.  Our 
road  equipment  has  been  increased  during  the  past  year  by  the 
addition  of  two  first  class  freight  engines,  two  passenger  engines 


40 

(all  coal  burners),  100  eight  wheel  coal  cars,  two  first  class  pas- 
senger cars  and  nine  platform  cars. 

In  anticipation  of  the  increase  of  business  next  year,  two  first 
class  freight  engines  have  been  ordered. 

Lumber  has  been  purchased  for  building  100  eight  wheel  cars 
and  the  necessary  machinery  is  now  being  put  in  the  shop  at 
South  Easton  to  enable  us  to  build  them. 

Your  attention  is  respectfully  called  to  the  necessity  of  pro- 
viding suitable  station  houses  at  Bethlehem,  Allentown,  Cata- 
sauqua,  Slatington  and  Mauch  Chunk  for  the  better  accommoda- 
tion of  the  public. 

The  business  from  the  Quakake  and  East  Pennsylvania  Rail- 
road has  not  been  so  large  as  was  anticipated.  It  is  steadily 
improving,  however,  and  will  in  time,  with  a  proper  arrange- 
ment of  trains  add  materially  to  our  revenue.  Erom  the  former 
we  have  received  this  year  about  $12,000,  and  from  the  latter 
(which  was  completed  in  May),  about  $8,474.  The  Ironton 
Railroad,  connecting  with  us  one  mile  above  the  Lehigh  Valley 
Iron  Works,  and  extending  out  to  the  ore  district  of  North 
Whitehall,  a  distance  of  5  miles,  will  be  completed  the  present 
winter,  and  will  bring  considerable  tonnage  to  our  road.  There 
is  a  large  rolling  mill  in  the  course  of  erection  at  Allentown 
which  will  no  doubt  contribute  largely  to  our  local  business. 

The  track  has  been  kept  in  good  order  and  our  trains  have 
run  with  a  great  degree  of  'regularity.  "No  accidents  have 
occurred  and  but  one  serious  interruption.  This  was  occasioned 
by  a  severe  freshet  in  the  "  Little  Lehigh,"  which  undermined 
the  trestling  at  the  mouth  of  the  stream  and  caused  a  delay  of 
our  business  of  two  days.  To  provide  against  a  similar  occur- 
rence, there  should  be  an  iron  bridge  built  over  the  stream  at 
an  early  day.  I  trust  the  work  of  replacing  our  wooden  struc- 
tures with  iron  ones  wrill  go  on  vigorously  and  that  the  day  is 
not  remote  when  we.  will  be  released  from  all  apprehensions  of 
danger  from  decayed  timbers,  fire  or  freshet. 

It  is  gratifying  to  again  report  the  fidelity  and  zeal  of  our 
officers  and  employees  generally. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

ROBT.  II.  SAYRE, 
Superintendent  and  Engineer. 


LEHIGH  VALLEY  RAILROAD, 
Office  of  Superintendent  and  Engineer. 

BETHLEHEM,  Xov.  30,  1860. 

J.  G.  FELL,  Esq., 

President  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  Co. 

DEAR  SIR: 

The  following  report  of  the  business  of  the  Lehigh  Valley 
Railroad  for  the  fiscal  year  ending  Xovember  30,  1860,  is 
respectfully  submitted.  The  whole  amount  of  coal  transporta- 
tion over  the  road  was  730,642  tons,  and  was  distributed  as 
follows : 

1860.  1859. 

To  the  Belvidere    Delaware  Railroad. .  146,931  131,152  tons 

"     "     Central  Railroad  of  X.  J 271,262  182,222  " 

"     "     Xorth  Penn.  Railroad 91,327  77,484  " 

"     "     East 11,030  3,579  " 

"     "     Catasauqua  &  Fog.  Railroad.  .  4,875  4,384  " 

"     "     Ironton  Railroad 463 

"     "     Morris  Canal 997  4,688  " 

Delivered  on  the  line  of  road 203,757  .174,143  " 


Totals 730,642    577,652  tons 

Equal  to  618,585  tons  transported  over  the  whole  length  of 
the  road. 

During  the  same  period  there  were  carried  158,120^  passen- 
gers, equal  to  48,167  over  the  whole  length  of  the  road.  The 
pig  iron,  iron  ore,  lime  stone  and  miscellaneous  freight  show  a 
large  and  satisfactory  increase  this  year,  and  amount  in  the 
aggregate  to  over  250,000  tons. 

The  following  is  a  statement  of  the  ordinary  receipts  and 
expenditures : 


42 


RECEIPTS. 

From  Coal  Transportation $514,530  40 

"       Passenger,  Express  and  Mail 78,537   79 

"       Freight 86,840  40 


$679,908  59 

EXPEKDITUBES. 

For  Coal  Transportation $258,408  68 

"     Passenger,  Express  and  Mail .       41,523  09 

"     Freight 37,937  28        337,869  05 


$342,039  54 

Compared  with  last  year  the  receipts  from  coal 

show  an  increase  of $122,763  59 

From  passenger,  mail  and  express  an  increase  of . .  10,376  09 

From  freight  an  increase  of .  . 20,902  43 

The  number  of  miles  run  by  coal  and  freight  trains  was 
183,500,  and  receipts  per  mile  run  $3.27.  The  number  of  miles 
run  by  passenger  trains  was  89,490,  and  the  receipts  per  mile 
run  87.7  cents.  Total  mileage  of  all  trains,  including  gravel 
and  construction,  329,630.  Receipts  from  all  sources  per  mile 
run  $2.06. 

Included  in   the   ordinary   expenses   as   above 
stated  are  the  following  sums: 

For  the  purchase  of  railroad  iron $38,206   15 

"     iron  bridge  at  Easton 8,008   52 

Widening  rock  cut  at  Easton. 10,503   55 

Embankments  and  masonry  at  Coplay 4,406   58 

Iron  turn-table  at  Mauch  Chunk 1,354  12 

Damages  to  persons  and  property 5,175   62 

Loss  of  locomotive  Excelsior,  March  28,  1860.  .  .  8,000  00 


43 

There  has  been  charged  to  construction  the  following  sums: 

Xew  shops,  &c.,  at  South  Easton $20,96i>   83 

( Jar  house  at  Mauch  Chunk 1,540  26 

Ki  -i-rvoir  at  South  Easton 578   66 

I 'avenger  depot  at  Allentown 4,165   50 

Do          and  freight  depot  at  Catasauqua 932   04 

Land  at  Glendon  for  side  tracks 1,138  79 

Railroad  iron 11,420  40 

<  Iroes-ties   3,196  50 

Chairs     807  55 

Spikes    771   50 

Second  track  and  sidings 12,201   15 

Xew  water  tanks,  depot  at  Maucli  Chunk 2,533  21 


$60,247   7'.' 

There  have  been  2.6  miles  of  second  track  and  1  mile  of 
siding  laid,  and  there  are  now  in  use  (including  the  Belvidere 
Delaware  connection)  15.6  miles  of  second  track  and  6.7  miles 
of  sidings.  3.2  miles  of  second  track  have  been  graded  and 
there  are  now  10.6  miles  ready  for  the  ballast  and  track. 

The  road-bed  has  been  much  improved  during  the  past  year. 
The  cut  at  Easton  has  been  enlarged  and  about  600  lineal  feet 
of  trestling  dispensed  with.  This  was  a  tedious  and  expensive 
piece  of  work  on  account  of  the  great  care  requisite  to  prevent 
interruption  to  the  trains.  Considerable  progress  has  been  made 
toward  filling  up  the  trestling  above  Easton  Station.  A  third 
track  which  has  been  much  needed  for  stand  room  is  now  being 
graded  above  our  shops  at  South  Easton.  The  grading  for  a 
third  track  at  Bethlehem,  long  enough  to  stand  200  cars  upon, 
is  nearly  completed.  A  double  track  embankment  has  been  sub- 
stituted for  670  feet  of  trestling  at  Coplay.  The  single  track 
trestling  at  Lehigh  Valley  Furnace  has  been  replaced  by  a  sub- 
stantial double  track  trestling.  The  side  drains  have  all  been 
cleaned  out,  and  the  material  used  for  widening  out  the  banks. 
The  track  is  now  in  better  condition  than  at  any  former  period. 
Almost  the  entire  length  of  it  has  been  thoroughly  ballasted  with 
broken  stone  or  gravel.  1,900  tons  of  new  iron  has  been  used 


44 

in  repairs, together  with  10,643  new  chairs  and  34,668  cross-ties, 
Considerable  pains  have  been  taken  to  get  large  sized  ties,  which, 
with  the  superior  character  of  the  new  chair  used,  secures  us  a 
track  equal  to  the  best  in  the  country.  A  great  saving  in  the 
cost  of  repairs  to  machinery  has  been  effected  by  the  improved 
condition  of  our  track.  Our  second  track  has  been  used  as  sid- 
ings or  turnouts  only.  By  laying  1 J  miles  of  track  we  will  con- 
nect the  sidings  between  Catasauqua  and  Laury's,  giving  us  7 
miles  of  second  track  at  a  very  desirable  point  for  passing  trains. 
This  and  the  completion  of  the  grading  and  laying  the  second 
track  from  Mauch  Chunk  to  Parryville  will  add  much  to  the 
capacity  of  our  road  and  should  be  done  as  early  as  possible. 
The  iron  bridge  erected  at  Easton  proves  to  be  a  very  permanent 
structure  and  is  looked  upon  with  favor  by  all  who  have  exam- 
ined it.  A  year's  use  has  tended  to  strengthen  my  confidence 
in  it.  The  bridge  across  the  Saucon  at  Freemansburg  (2  spans 
of  65  feet  each),  should  be  rebuilt  during  the  coming  summer. 
The  bridge  across  the  Little  Lehigh  at  Allentown  (2  spans  of 
130  feet  each),  is  being  replaced  by  an  iron  structure  similar  in 
principle  and  manner  of  construction  to  that  at  Easton.  The 
bridge  at  Slatington,  106  feet  span,  that  across  Lizzard  Creek, 
86  feet  span,  and  4  spans  of  82  feet  each  at  Mauch  Chunk, 
should  be  rebuilt  this  year.  A  new  water  tank  and  house  of 
very  substantial  character  have  been  built  at  Bethlehem,  also 
new  tanks  at  Whitehall  and  Parryville.  A  commodious  and 
handsome  brick  station  house  for  passengers  has  been  built  at 
Allentown.  It  is  quite  an  ornament  to  the  towrn  and  gives  very 
general  satisfaction  to  the  citizens  as  well  as  the  travelling  pub- 
lic. A  brick  station  for  passengers  and  freight  is  nearly  com- 
pleted at  Catasauqua.  Plans  have  been  prepared  for  passenger 
and  freight  house  at  Slatington,  where  it  is  much  needed.  The 
station  house  at  Mauch  Chunk  has  been  enlarged  and  moved 
back  far  enough  from  the- main  track  to  admit  of  the  laying  an 
independent  track  upon  which  the  freight  and  -passenger  cars 
may  receive  and  discharge  their  cargoes  without  interrupting 
business  upon  the  main  line.  The  station  house  at  Easton  is  the 
source  of  much  anxiety  on  account  of  the  combustible  materials 
of  which  it  is  built,  and  the  certainty  of  the  destruction  of  it  and 


45 

the  trestling  in  the  event  of  its  taking  fire.  It  should  be  re- 
placed with  a  stone  structure  and  I  am  now  having  plans  prer 
pared  for  the  same. 

.V  frame  building,  165  by  32  feet,  has  been  erected  at  ]Mauch 
Chunk  for  housing  our  passenger  cars.  A  very  excellent  iron 
turntable,  50  feet  in  diameter  has  been  put  in  at  Mauch  Chunk. 
It  was  built  by  F.  C.  Lowthrop  of  Trenton,  and  is  equal,  if  not 
superior  to  any  I  have  seen,  though  costing  $230  less  than  tables 
of  that  size  usually  do. 

Our  repair  shops  at  South  Easton  are  about  completed  and  will 
compare  favorably  with  any  establishment  of  the  kind  in  the 
country.  They  are  built  of  stone,  and  consist  of  machine  shop, 
150  by  60  feet,  boiler  and  blacksmith  shop,  150  by  40  feet,  car 
shop,  128  by  36  feet,  two  stories  high,  and  engine  house  40  by 
30  feet.  Arrangements  have  been  made  for  having  a  full  sup- 
ply of  water  on  hand  at  all  times  so  as  to  be  prepared  in  case  of 
fire.  When  the  reservoir  is  completed  there  will  be  sufficient 
head  to  force  the  water  over  our  highest  buildings.  The  equip- 
ment of  the  road  has  been  increased  by  the  addition  of  two  first 
class  freight  engines  built  by  Wm.  Mason.  78  eight  wheel  iron 
truck  coal  cars,  2  first  class  baggage  cars,  15  platform  cars  and 
10  hand  and  gravel  cars,  all  of  which  were  built  at  our  own  shops, 
except  30  of  the  coal  cars.  We  have  lost  one  locomotive  by 
explosion  so  that  our  equipment  at  present  consists  of  20 
locomotives  of  all  classes,  509  four  wheel  and  485  eight  wheel 
coal  cars,  34  eight  wheel  platform  cars,  8  passenger  cars,  4  bag- 
gage cars  and  47  gravel  and  hand  cars.  The  timber  is  on  hand 
and  all  the  iron  work  completed  for  building  51  eight  wheeled 
coal  cars. 

The  business  from  the  Quakake  and  Eastern  Pennsylvania 
Railroads  shows  a  handsome  increase  and  will  no  doubt  continue 
to  improve.  From  the  former  we  have  received  about  $14,800, 
and  from  the  latter  about  $25,000.  The  Catasauqua  and 
Fogelsville  and  Ironton  Railroads  each  contribute  to  swell  our 
business,  and  will,  as  the  iron  interests  of  our  valley  increase, 
extend  their  influence  and  add  more  largely  to  our  income.  A 
permanent  location  of  the  Penn  Haven  and  White  Haven  Rail- 
road has  been  made  during  the  past  summer.  Examinations 


46 

made  demonstrate  the  fact  that  a  good  road  can  be  built  to  con- 
nect the  Lehigh  and  Susquehanna  Railroad  and  Beaver  Meadow 
Railroad,  at  a  moderate  cost,  with  maximum  grades  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  trade  of  37  feet  per  mile,  and  no  curve  of  less  than 
500  feet  radius  will  be  required.  Great  interest  is  felt  in  this 
enterprise  by  the  coal,  operators  in  Wyoming  Valley,  and  its 
completion  will  bring  our  road  into  the  most  direct  and  best 
route  between  Wyoming  Valley  and  the  cities  of  Philadelphia 
and  New  York.  Two  routes  have  been  examined  for  connect- 
ing the  great  Mahanoy  coal  field  with  our  road,  thence  to 
Trenton  and  New  York  by  the  Belvidere  Delaware  and  Central 
Railroads.  The  first  by  way  of  Mahoning  Valley  to  Tamauqua 
thence  by  Little  Schuylkill  and  East  Mahanoy  Railroad,  requir- 
ing 17  miles  of  new  road,  at  a  cost  of  say,  $600,000.  The 
second  is  by  way  of  Beaver  Meadow  and  Quakake  Railroads, 
thence  into  the  eastern  end  of  Mahanoy  Valley,  requiring  four 
or  five  miles  of  new  road,  at  a  cost  of  say,  $75,000.  The  first 
named  route  will  give  us  a  good  connection  with  the  Schuylkill 
Valley  and  with  the  Sunbury  and  Erie  via  East  Mahanoy  and 
Mt.  Carmel  Railroads  to  Sunbury.  The  completion  of  the 
several  links  spoken  of  forming  the  connection,  between  the  rich 
valleys  of  the  Schuylkill  and  Susquehanna,  and  the  cities  of 
Philadelphia  and  New  York,  will  have  the  effect  of  placing  the 
Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  foremost  in  the  great  carrying  lines  of 
the  country. 

Our  local  coal  trade  has  increased  handsomely  during  the 
year  just  passed,  and  an  early  adjustment  of  the  political  and 
financial  difficulties  of  the  country  wall  enable  me  at  the  close 
of  another  year  to  record  a  still  greater  increase.  There  are 
now  four  first  class  blast  furnaces  and  two  rolling  mill  in  the 
course  of  erection,  which  will  consume  about  100,000  tons  of 
coal  annually,  all  of  which,  together  with  portions  of  the  ore, 
limestone,  &c.,  and  the  product  of  the  furnaces,  may  be  secured 
to  our  road. 

The  completion  of  the  bridge  over  the  river  connecting  the 
Carbon  Iron  Works  with  our  road,  has  resulted  in  securing  to 
us  a  large  share  of  their  business.  A  third  passenger  train  was 
put  upon  the  road  about  the  first  of  June,  in  order  to  make 


47 

satisfactory  connections  with  other  roads.  The  result  has  been 
t<>  decrease  slightly  our  receipts  per  mile  run,  though  it  has 
given  excellent  facilities  to  the  travelling  public,  and  affords 
very  general  satisfaction. 

By  reference  to  the  annexed  tables  you  will  see  that  the 
mileage  of  our  engines  has  increased  88,191  miles,  with  the 
addition  of  but  one  engine  to  last  year's  number.  This  indi- 
cates a  much  heavier  service  for  each  engine;  yet  from  the 
improved  condition  of  our  track  and  the  superior  character  of 
our  engines  of  recent  purchase,  our  expenses  for  repairs  of  loco- 
motives has  been  reduced  2  cents  per  mile  run. 

My  acknowledgments  are  due  to  our  officers  and  employees 
generally,  for  the  faithful  and  diligent  discharge  of  their  duties, 
and  especially  so  to  Mr.   Cox,  who  performed  the  duties  of 
Superintendent  during  my  absence  of  nearly  five  months. 
Very  respectfully  yours, 

KOBT.  H.  SAYEE, 

Superintendent  and  Engineer. 


49 


LEHIGH  VALLEY  RAILROAD, 
Office  of  Superintendent  and  Engineer. 

BETHLEHEM,  Xov.  30th,  1861. 

•1 .  ( r.  FELL,  Esq., 

President  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  Co. 
DEAR  SIR: 

The  following  report  of  the  business  of  the  Lehigh  Valley 
Railroad  for  the  fiscal  year  ending  November  30,  1861,  is  re- 
spectfully submitted.  The  total  amount  of  coal  transported 
over  the  road  was  743,672  tons,  and  was  distributed  as  follows: 


To 

u 

the  Belvidere  Delaware  Railroad  .  . 
••    (  entral  Railroad  of  X   J 

1861. 
146,622 
260  393 

1860. 
146,931  1 
271  262 

tons 

u 

it 

"    Xorth  Penna.  Railroad  

98,389 

91,327 

it 

ft 

"    East                                   

10,6"»2 

11,030 

it 

u 
ti 

"    Catasauqua  <fc  Fogelsville.  .  .  . 
*"    Tronton  Railroad  

4,290 
1,141 

4,875 
463 

a 
it 

u 

"    Morris  Canal   . 

1.271 

997 

tt 

Delivered  on  line  of  road 220,944      203,757 


743,672      730,642  tons 

Equal  to  616,419  tons  transported  over  the  whole  length  of 
the  road,  or  28,355,279  tons  transported  one  mile. 

During  the  same  period  there  were  transported  181,086  pas- 
sengers, equal  to  57,161  over  the  whole  length  of  the  road,  or 
one  passenger  transported  2,629,410  miles. 

The  pig  iron  and  merchandise  freight  show  a  decrease.  The 
iron  ore,  limestone,  live  stock  and  some  other  items  show  a  satis- 
factory increase.  The  total  freight  tonnage,  independent  of 
coal,  amounts  to  about  275,000  tons. 

The  following  is  a  statement  of  the  ordinary  receipts  and 
expenditures : 


50 


RECEIPTS. 

From  Coal  Transportation $499,877  92 

"      Passenger  Express  and  Mail 82,117  93 

"      Freight 97,495  45 


$679,491  30 
EXPENDITURES. 

For  Coal  Transportation $230,705  69 

"     Passenger  Express  and  Mail.       43,152  48 

"     Freight ,      47,479  48        321,337  65 

58,153  65 


Compared  with  last  year  the  receipts  from  coal  show  a  decrease 
of  $14,652.48;  from  passengers  an  increase  of  $3,582.14;  from 
freight  an  increase  of  $10,655.05;  total  gross  receipts  show  a 
decrease  of  $417.29;  total  net  receipts  an  increase  of  $16,164.99. 
The  decrease  in  coal  receipts  is  due  to  lower  rates  prevailing 
most  of  the  season,  and  to  a  larger  portion  of  the  tonnage  being 
used  on  the  line  of  the  road,  and  therefore  transported  shorter 
distances.  The  increase  in  passenger  receipts  is  due  to  the  trans- 
portation of  troops.  The  increase  in  freight  receipts  is  princi- 
pally due  to  the  live  stock  trade,  which  is  $6,586.53  in  excess 
of  last  year.  The  number  of  miles  run  by  coal  and  freight 
trains  was  203,060,  and  receipts  per  mile  run  $2.94.  The  num- 
ber of  miles  run  by  passenger  trains  was  97,760,  and  receipts 
per  mile  run  84  cents.  Total  mileage  of  all  the  trains,  includ- 
ing construction  and  drilling  engines,  was  339,840  miles.  Re- 
ceipts from  all  sources  per  mile  run  $2.00.  Included  in  the 
ordinary  expenses  as  above  stated  are  the  following  items: 

Railroad  Iron $36,891  09 

Cross-ties,  Chairs  and  Spikes 25,147  50 

Iron  Bridge  at  Allentown 21,528  26 

Embankment  and  wall  at  Easton 3,106  81 

Iron  Turntable  at  South  Easton.  ,  1,670  98 


51 

Arch  over  canal  feeder  at  Mauch  Chunk 1,611  40 

River  Bridge  at  Mauch  Chunk  (new) 7,091  62 

Xew  Bridges  across  Mahoning  and  EelPs  Creeks  and 

repairs  to  other  bridges 5,208  57 

There  have  been  charged  to  construction  the  following  sums: 

Engine  house  and  machinery  at  Mauch  Chunk.  .  .  .  $3,439  75 

Water  tank  and  fixtures 401   14 

Mauch  Chunk  and  Allentown  station  houses 841  07 

Scales  at  Mauch  Chunk 355   87 

Land  at  Parryville 500  00 

Pus- enger  and  freight  house  at  Catasauqua 1,805  49 

Water  tanks  at  Bethlehem 392   21 

Shops  and  machinery  at  South  Easton 8,061  09 

Reservoir  at  South  Easton 2,076  47 

House  for  master  of  machinery 3,089  18 

Second  track  and  sidings 16,852   83 

Cross-ties,  chairs  and  spikes 1,856  90 

Car  house,   etc 341   11 


$40,013  11 

There  have  been  2.1  miles  of  second  track  laid  and  1.7  miles 
of  second  track  and  sidings  relaid  with  new  iron.  There  are  now 
in  use  17.7  miles  of  second  track  and  6.3  miles  of  sidings.  2.9 
miles  of  second  track  have  been  graded  and  there  are  now  11.4 
miles  ready  for  the  ballast  and  track.  The  detached  pieces  of 
second  track  between  Catasauqua  and  Laury's  heretofore  used  as 
sidings  have  been  connected  and  used  as  second  track  since  June 
last.  This  has  materially  increased  the  capacity  of  the  road  and 
has  been  of  much  service  in  enabling  trains  to  pass  without  the 
vexatious  delays  heretofore  encountered.  At  no  time  since  the 
opening  of  the  road  has  the  heavy  business  been  done  with  so 
much  regularity.  The  permanent  way  has  been  very  much 
improved  during  the  year.  At  Easton  750  feet  of  trestling  has 
been  removed  and  a  double  track  embankment  with  heavy  wall 
between  the  branches  connecting  the  Belvidere  Delaware  and 
Central  Railroads  substituted.  168  feet  more  of  trestling  have 


52 

been  rebuilt.  A  bridge  of  36  feet  span  over  the  public  road 
near  Freemansburg  has  been  rebuilt.  One  of  32  feet  span  over 
the  railroad  at  Catasauqua,  and  one  of  36  feet  span  over  the  rail- 
road at  Lehighton  have  been  rebuilt. 

Abutments  have  been  built  at  Rockdale  and  Slatington 
bridges,  shortening  the  spans  of  each  24  feet,  and  making  them 
of  uniform  length  with  the  spans  at  Mauch  Chunk.  Two  piers 
have  been  put  in  at  Lizzard  Creek  preparatory  to  replacing  the 
wooden  structure  with  one  of  stone,  3  arches — each  20  feet  span. 
The  trestling  over  the  canal  feeder  at  Mauch  Chunk  has  been 
removed  and  a  stone  arch,  8-J  feet  span,  183  feet  long,  substi- 
tuted. At  Allentown  there  have  been  two  spans  (of  125  feet 
each)  of  double  track  iron  bridge  erected.  It  is  similar  in 
principle  to  that  built  at  Easton  two  years  since.  They  are  very 
firm  permanent  structures,  and  I  hope  all  the  bridges  to  be  re- 
built hereafter  will  be  of  the  same  character.  At  Laury's  one 
span  of  50  feet  double  track,  at  Lehighton  one  span  of  62  feet 
feet-  double  track,  and  at  Mauch  Chunk  4  spans  (each  82  feet) 
double  track  have  been  rebuilt.  These  structures  are  of  wood, 
but  are  of  a  substantial  character,  and  will,  I  think,  be  safe  for 
eight  or  ten  years.  Between  Whitehall  and  Coplay  stations 
three  double  track  bridges  have  been  renewed,  one  of  20  feet 
span,  one  of  24  and  one  of  45  feet. 

The  bridge  across  the  Delaware  canal  needs  some  repairs  and 
the  material  has  been  ordered  for  it.  The  balance  of  the  river 
bridge  is  in  good  order,  except  the  branch  bridge  connecting 
with  the  Belvidere  Delaware  Railroad.  The  materials  for  the 
repair  of  this  are  now  on  hand.  The  bridge  across  the  canal  at 
Mauch  Chunk,  those  at  Slatington,  Rockdale,  and  Shimersville 
must  be  renewed  next  year.  I  would  also  recommend  the  re- 
newal of  at  least  one  span  per  annum  of  river  bridge  at  Easton, 
until  the  whole  has  been  replaced  by  a  permanent  iron  structure. 
The  track  has  been  kept  in  excellent  repair  and  no  accident 
whatever  has  occurred  from  defects  in  it.  Eight  miles  have 
been  ballasted  and  there  are  now  48  miles  of  track  ballasted 
with  broken  stone  or  cinder.  900  tons  of  new  iron,  together 
with  45,877  cross-ties,  487  kegs  of  spikes  and  4,453  chairs  have 
been  used  in  repairs.  The  Fisher  &  Norris  chair,  which  was 


53 

adopted  about  three  years  since,  continues  to  give  entire  satis- 
faction. It  is,  I  think,  without  doubt  the  best  chair  that  can  be 
had  for  the  price.  What  is  now  particularly  wanted  to  give  us  a 
first  class  track  and  reduce  the  annual  expense  of  its  repairs  is 
a  better  quality  of  iron.  Xone  that  we  have  ever  used,  except 
that  purchased  from  the  Phoenix  Iron  Works,  when  the  track 
was  first  laid,  has  proved  really  good.  A  subsequent  purchase 
from  the  same  establishment  was  found  to  be  no  better  than 
that  used  from  other  works.  If  an  advance  of  ten  dollars  upon 
the  price  usually  paid  will  secure  iron  of  first  quality,  I  am  well 
satisfied  that  no  investment  that  can  be  made  will  yield  so  large 
and  satisfactory  a  return.  A  reservoir,  120  by  100  feet  square 
and  8  feet  deep,  of  a  capacity  of  600,000  gallons,  has  been  com- 
pleted on  the  hill  in  the  rear  of  our  shops  at  South  Easton. 
The  water  is  pumped  into  it  from  the  canal  by  the  shop  powder. 
The  bottom  of  it  is  some  30  feet  higher  than  the  tops  of  our  • 
buildings.  More  attachments  have  been  placed,  in  the  pipe 
leading  from  it,  so  that  the  entire  premises  may  be  flooded  in 
case  of  fire.  A  new  water  tank  was  built  about  one  mile  below 
Slatington  and  one  at  Mauch  Chunk.  A  brick  building,  26  by 
42  was  erected  at  Mauch  Chunk,  in  which  was  placed  a  15-horse 
power  engine.  It  is  used  for  pumping  water,  sawing  wood, 
driving  the  machinery  in  the  repair  shop,  and  furnishes  blast  for 
the  blacksmith's  fires.  An  addition  20  by  50  was  built  to  the 
repair  shop,  in  which  has  been  placed  a  planing  machine  and 
circular  saw. 

The  wooden  turntable  at  South  Easton  having  become  much 
decayed,  it  has  been  replaced  by  one  of  Lowthrop's  patent  cast- 
iron  tables,  55  feet  in  diameter,  similar  to  the  one  put  in  at 
Mauch  Chunk  last  year,  which  continues  to  work  admirably. 
The  passenger  and  freight  house  at  Catasauqua  was  completed 
early  in  the  spring.  Xew  station  houses  are  very  much  needed 
at  Bethlehem  and  Slatington. 

At  the  date  of  my  last  report  we  had  just  occupied  our  new 
shops  at  South  Easton.  A  year's  use  has  shown  their  utility 
and  convenience.  The  superior  character  of  the  work  done  and 
great  reduction  in  the  cost  of  repairs  is  excellent  evidence  of  the 
value  of  having  good  shops  and  machinery.  To  complete  our 


54 

establishment  at  that  point  there  should  be  added  a  foundry, 
a  car  house  for  sheltering  the  passenger  cars  and  a  building  for 
piling  the  lumber  in,  that  is  used  in  building  and  repairing  cars. 
The  repair  shop  at  Mauch  Chunk  is  a  frame  building  erected 
upon  ground  belonging  to  the  Lehigh  Coal  and  Naviga- 
tion Company,  for  which  we  pay  a  ground  rent  of  $100 
per  annum.  It  is  liable  to  be  burned,  both  from  the  sparks 
from  locomotives  and  from  its  close  proximity  to  a  boat  yard, 
which  has  twice  been  on  fire  since  we  occupied  the  shop.  These 
facts  in  connection  with  that  of  the  insufficiency  of  room  in 
that  vicinity  for  sidings  upon  which  to  make  up  the  coal  trains, 
induces  me  to  recommend  to  your  consideration  the  propriety 
of  the  Company's  purchasing  some  15  acres  of  the  flat  situated 
about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  below  the  bridge,  upon  which  to 
erect  suitable  repair  shops  and  the  necessary  sidings  for  our 
coal  business.  We  now  use  the  second  track  from  Mauch  Chunk 
to  the  location  spoken  of  for  stand  room  for  loaded  cars.  When 
our  business  requires  the  second  track  to  run  upon  we  will  be 
unable  to  make  up  trains  for  the  present  business  without  mak- 
ing additional  sidings,  which,  in  my  opinion,  will  cost  more  than 
to  purchase  the  property  named.  The  road  equipment  has  been 
kept  in  first  rate  order  and  has  been  increased  by  the  building 
of  30  eight  wheel  iron-truck  coal  cars.  It  now  consists  of  20 
locomotives,  509  four  wheel  and  515  eight  wheel  coal  cars,  34 
eight  wheel  platform  cars,  8  passenger  and  4  baggage  cars  and 
47  gravel  and  hand  cars.  Two  new  freight  engines  have  been 
ordered  from  the  establishment  of  Win.  Mason,  to  be  similar  in 
all  respects  to  four  now  in  use  upon  the  road  from  the  same 
maker. 

The  great  economy  of  having  the  different  class  engines  em- 
ployed of  uniform  pattern  is  so  evident  that  I  would  much  pre- 
fer it  (even  if  they  were  inferior  in  some  particulars)  to  having 
a  dozen  different  patterns  with  all  the  so-called  improvements. 
Of  20  locomotives  now  in  use,  4  are  exactly  alike,  and  con- 
sequently require  but  a  single  duplicate  piece  of  any  part  liable 
to  wear  out  or  break  to  be  kept  on  hand.  The  remaining 
16  engines  are  of  12  different  patterns,  requiring  12  duplicate 
pieces  or  parts  to  be  kept  on  hand.  By  referring  to  the  annexed 


55 

table  of  engine  statistics  you  will  perceive  that  the  average 
mileage  of  the  4  Mason  engines  was  23,235  miles,  at  a  cost  of 
repairs  of  4.78  cents  per  mile,  while  the  average  mileage  of  6 
other  engines  performing  the  same  kind  of  service,  was  12,651 
miles,  at  a  cost  of  11.66  cents  per  mile.  A  part  of  this  great 
difference  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  first-named  engines  have 
not  been  so  long  in  service,  and  are  of  superior  workmanship, 
hut  much  of  it  is  in  consequence  of  the  uniformity  of  pattern. 
The  passenger  and  freight  traffic  to  and  from  the  Central  Rail- 
mad  and  East  Pennsylvania  Railroad  exhibits  a  very  decided 
increase. 

The  revenue  accruing  to  our  road  from  passengers  and  freight 
(other  than  coal)  to  and  from  the  connecting  roads  is  as  follows: 

Central  Railroad  of  Xew  Jersey $78,629   18 

Ka>t  Pennsylvania  Railroad. 43,400  01 

Xorth  Pennsylvania  Railroad 27,871   76 

Catawissa  Railroad    14,85."    4«J 

Our  business  relations  with  the  several  connecting  roads  has 
been  harmonious  and  pleasant.  A  location  has  been  made  for 
the  extension  of  the  Quakake  Railroad  into  the  Mahanoy  and 
Shenandoah  coal  basins.  It  is  proposed  to  build  ten  miles  from 
the  junction,  six  of  which  will  be  over  coal.  It  can  be  com- 
pleted at  a  cost  of  say,  $150,000.  Measures  are  being  taken 
that  will  secure  the  building  of  it  at  an  early  day.  It  will,  I 
think,  add  largely  to  our  coal  tonnage.  A  charter  has  been 
secured  and  location  made  for  a  railroad  from  Mauch  Chunk  to 
the  Mahanoy  tunnel  and  K"orth  Mahanoy  basin  via  Xesquehon- 
ing  Valley.  It  is  intended  to  be  built  by  parties  owning  the 
canal  between  Mauch  Chunk  and  tidewater,  but  a  connection 
with  our  road  at  Mauch  Chunk  will  secure  to  it  the  tonnage 
during  the  winter  season  at  least. 

The  coal  from  Mahanoy  Valley  via  the  tunnel  destined  for 
Xew  York  water,  can  only  be  secured  during  the  entire  season, 
by  our  building  the  Mahoning  branch.  This,  I  believe,  the  true 
interests  of  the  Company  demand,  and  should  be  done  speedily. 
Xothing  has  been  done  upon  the  Penn  Haven  and  White  Haven 
Railroad  since  the  date  of  my  last  report.  The  disturbed  state 


56 

of  the  political  and  financial  affairs  of  the  country  rendering  it 
imprudent  to  attempt  the  further  prosecution  of  the  enterprise 
for  the  present.  It  is,  however,  a  very  important  connection, 
and  its  completion  at  as  early  a  day  as  circumstances  will  admit 
of,  very  desirable,  as  it  will  undoubtedly  be  a  paying  improve- 
ment and  add  largely  to  the  receipts  of  our  road. 

In  conclusion,  permit  me  to  say,  that  it  is  gratifying  to  again 
bear  testimony  to  the  faithfulness  and  diligence  of  the  heads  of 
the  various  departments  of  transportation  and  repairs,  and  to  the 
employees  generally. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

KOBT.  H.  SAYKE, 
Superintendent  and  Engineer. 


[Reprint  March  15,  1899.] 


SEVENTH 


ANNUAL   REPORT 


OF  THE 


BOAED   OF   MANAGEES 


OF  THE 


LEHIGH  VALLEY  RAIL-ROAD  COMPANY 


JANUARY    12,    1863. 


MAUCH  CHUNK : 

TOLAN    &   HIBBS,    PBINTEKS. 

1863. 


\Reprint  March  15,  1899.} 

SEVENTH 

ANNUAL  REPORT 


OF    THE 


BOAED   OF  MANAGEES 


OF  THE 


LEHIGH  VALLEY  RAIL-ROAD  COMPANY 


JANUARY    12,    1863. 


MAUCH  CHUXK : 

TOLAX    &   BIBBS,    PEINTERS 

1863. 


OFFICERS  AND  MANAGERS 


OF    THE 


LEHIGH  VALLEY  RAIL  ROAD  COMPANY, 


FOB    1863. 


PRESIDENT, 

ASA     PACKER. 


R.  F.  STOCKTON, 
E.  A.  PACKER, 


MANAGERS, 

JOHN  TAYLOR  JOHNSTON, 
J.  G.  FELL, 


JOHN  N.  HUTCHINSON, 
JOSIAH  0.  STEARNS. 
ROBERT  A.  PACKER, 
EDWARD  H.  TROTTER, 


W.  H.  GATZMER, 
ASHBEL  WELCH, 
JOHN  KNECHT, 
DAVID  THOMAS. 


SECRETARY   AND   TREASURER, 

WM.  H.  ELY. 


ENGINEER   AND    SUPERINTENDENT, 

ROBERT  H.  SAYRE. 


SEVENTH  ANNUAL  REPORT 


OF    THE 


BOARD   OF   MANAGERS 


OF    THE 


'  1 

fti§h  ftollef  JaikrtaS 


The  Managers  of  tne  Lehigh  Valley  Rail-Road  Com- 
pany present  to  the  Stockholders  the  following  Report, 
for  the  year  ending  November  29th,  1862. 

The  amount  of  Coal  transported  over  the  road  was 
882,5 7-i  Tons,  and  was  distributed  as  follows  : 

1862.  1861. 

To  the  Central  Rail  Road  of  New  Jersey. .  306,834  Tons.  260,393  Tons. 


Belvidere  Delaware  Rail  Road 125,503 

North  Pennsylvania  Rail  Road 103,947 

Morris  Canal 43,296 

Delaware  Canal 29,605 

East  Pennsylvania  Rail  Road 6,667 

Catasauqua  and  Fogelsville  R.  R. .  2,257 

Ironton  Rail  Road 1 ,214 

Del  vered  on  line  of  the  Road 263,261 


146,622 

98,389 

1,271 

10,622 

4,290 

1,141 

220,944 


Total 882,574     "       743,672      " 

Equal  to  747,930  tons  transported  over  the  whole  length 
of  the  road. 


During  the  same  period  there  were  transported  193,246 
passengers,  equal  to  61,152  over  the  whole  length  of  the 
road. 

The  miscellaneous  freight,  which  includes  Pig  Iron, 
Lime  Stone,  Lumber,  Live  Stock,  Merchandise,  &c.,  show 
a  very  decided  and  satisfactory  increase,  and  amounts  to 
about  420,000  tons. 

The  following  is  a  statement  of  the  ordinary  receipts 
and  expenditures  : 

RECEIPTS. 

From  Coal  Transportation , $630,624  90 

"      Passengers,  Express  and  Mail  Transportation 89,470  27 

"      Freight  Transportation 135,959  36 

$856,054  53 
EXPENDITURES. 

For  Coal  Transportation $295,724  22 

"    Passenger,  Express  and  Mail  Transp'n 48,19276 

"    Freight  Transportation 63,635  84  $407,552  82 

Balance,  nett  earnings $448,501  71 

Balance  to  credit  of  profit  and  loss  acc't.,  Nov.  30,  1861. .      176,324  99 

$624,826  70 

Against  which  has  been  charged  : 

Dividend  paid  May  1,  1862,  four  per  cent  on 

Capital  Stock,  $2,297,250.00  $91,890  00 

Dividend  paid  Nov.  1,  1862,  four  per  cent  on 

Capital  Stock,  $2,297,250.00 91,890  00 

Six  per  cent  on  $1,465,000  Bonds 87,900  00 

Taxes..  1.533  50  $273,213  50 


Leaving  a  balance  of  profits  Nov.  29,  1862,  of $351,613  20 

Against  which  is  to  be  charged  as  a  renewal  fund,  depreci- 
ation in  rolling  stock,  and  unfinished  repairs  of  damages 
by  freshet,  &c. 


Compared  with  last  year,  the 

Receipts  from  Coal  show  an  increase  of §130,746  98 

"  Passengers  7,35231 

"  Freight  38,46391 

Increase  in  Receipts $176,563  20,  or  25.9  per  cent. 

Increase  in  Expenses 86,415  17,  or  26.8  per  cent. 

Increase  in  Nett  Receipts 90, 148  03,  or  25. 1  per  cent. 

Included  in  the  ordinary  expenses,  as  above  stated,  are 
the  following  items  : 

Damages  by  high  water  (as  far  as  paid) $55,392  66 

Rail  Road  Iron 65,993  54 

Cross-ties,  Chairs  and  Spikes 13,174  06 

New  Bridges 8,719  79 

Sundry  Claims  and  Damages  by  fire 1.990  47 

$145,270  52 

During  the  year  there  has  been  charged  : 

To  Construction §34,104  20 

To  Car  Account 66,040  05 

To  Real  Estate 2,715  68 

To  Locomotives 68,386  65 

The  condensed  balance  sheet,  herewith  submitted,  shows 
the  financial  condition  of  the  Company. 

There  was  laid  during  the  year  3.42  miles  of  second 
track,  and  1.34;  miles  of  sidings.  A  portion  of  this  was 
carried  away  by  the  freshet,  but  most  of  it  has  been  relaid, 
and  there  is  now  in  use  20.1  miles  of  second  track,  and  7.5 
miles  of  sidings.  There  is  9.8  miles  of  second  track  graded 
and  ready  for  the  track. 

On  the  night  of  the  4th,  and  morning  of  the  5th,  of 
June,  there  occurred  the  most  destructive  freshet  ever 
known  in  the  Lehigh  Yalley.  Our  road  suffered  very 
considerable  injuries,  and  coal  shipments  were  suspended 
until  the  8th  of  Julv. 


8 

The  superstructure  and  masonry  of  the  bridges  across  the 
canal  and  river  near  Mauch  Chunk,  and  the  superstructure 
of  the  Mahoning  Creek  Bridge  were  swept  away;  the  bridge 
across  the  public  road  near  Hockendauqua  was  removed 
from  its  foundation  ;  the  bridge  across  the  street  below 
Allentown  station  was  displaced  ;  the  iron  bridge  across 
the  Little  Lehigh  was  raised  up  by  the  accumulation  of 
drift-wood  under  it,  and  some  of  the  parts  displaced. 

One  of  the  piers  of  the  bridge  over  the  Delaware  was 
seriously  injured.  Three  and  one-quarter  miles  of  the 
embankment  of  main  track  were  very  much  washed,  and  a 
large  portion  of  it  entirely  gone  ;  about  two  miles 
more  of  it  so  injured  as  to  need  repairs  to  make  it  safe  for 
business. 

Over  five  miles  of  the  main-track  was  moved  from  its 
bed ;  some  of  it  turned  upside  down  and  covered  with 
gravel  ;  other  portions  of  it  carried  into  the  river,  the  iron 
bent  and  broken,  and  some  of  it  entirely  lost.  4.3  miles 
of  second-track  embankment  was  washed  away,  and 
nearly  one  and  a  half  miles  of  track  was  removed  from  its 
bed,  and  portions  of  it  lost. 

The  water  had  so  far  receded  on  the  morning  of  the  6th 
as  to  enable  us  to  commence  repairs,  which  were  prose- 
cuted with  vigor. 

Our  passenger  trains  were  run  from  Easton  to  Allen- 
town  on  the  evening  of  the  7th  ;  to  Laury's  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  10th;  to  Slatington  on  the  morning  of  the  12th; 


to  the  bridge  below  Mauch  Chunk  on  the  evening  of  the 
18th  ;  and  to  Mauch  Chunk  station  on  the  evening  of  July 
3d. 

The  repairs  of  the  Beaver  Meadow  Road  not  being  fin- 
ished, the  coal  business  was  not  resumed  until  the  8th, 
between  which  time  and  November  29th,  there  were 
500,647  tons  of  coal  transported  over  the  road.  . 

The  masonry  for  the  canal  and  river  bridge  is  nearly 
completed,  and  an  iron  superstructure  is  in  course  of  con- 
struction. 

A  stone  arch  of  eight  and  a  half  feet  span  over  Beaver 
Run,  and  a  stone  viaduct  of  three  spans  of  twenty-two  feet 
each,  have  been  built  over  Lizzard  Creek  ;  a  double  track 
timber  bridge,  of  sixty-two  feet  span,  for  the  Mahoning 
Creek,  is  framed  and  ready  to  be  put  up. 

At  Slatington  a  new  passenger  and  freight  house,  and  a 
double  track  wooden  bridge  of  eighty-two  feet  span  are 
nearly  completed. 

Most  of  the  work  has  been  done  upon  two  spans,  of 
sixty  two  feet  each,  of  iron  bridge,  to  replace  the  wooden 
structure  at  Freemansburg  ;  324  feet  lineal  of  double 
track  trestling,  at  Easton  Depot,  has  been  renewed. 

New  arches  have  been  put  upon  the  span  of  bridge  over 
the  Delaware  canal,  and  the  pier  which  was  injured 
thoroughly  repaired. 

The  track  is  now  in  good  order,  though  not  quite  so 
permanent  and  smooth  as  it  was  previous  to  the  freshet. 

65 


10 

Efforts  were  made  to  increase  our  motive  power  and 
cars  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  trade,  but  were  not 
entirely  successful.  72,254  tons  of  coal  from  the  Lehigh 
region  passed  over  the  Eeading  Rail-road,  via  Quakake, 
in  consequence  of  our  incapacity  to  meet  the  sudden 
demand  made  upon  us  in  consequence  of  the  destruction  of 
the  canal. 

Six  first-class  freight  and  two  passenger  engines  were 
put  on  the  road  during  the  year,  and  two  more  first-class 
freight  engines  have  been  ordered  from  Wm.  Mason  & 
Co.,  to  be  delivered  in  April  next. 

There  have  been  built  at  our  shops — 

110  eight  wheel  iron  truck  Coal  cars. 
12     "          "  "  Flat  cars. 

6  four        "  *'  Coal  cars, 

and  16  eight       "  "  Coal  cars  purchased. 

There  were  about  fifteen  coal  cars  lost  by  the  freshet, 
and  some  twenty  more  badly  damaged. 

The  iron  works  on  the  line  of  our  road  are  prospering, 
and  now  bid  fair  to  give  us  a  large  increase  of  tonnage 
next  year. 

The  work  of  extending  the  Quakake  Rail-road  into  the 
Mahanoy  coal  basin,  has  progressed  favorably,  and  it  is 
expected  to  open  the  Road  as  far  as  Mahanoy  City  in  the 
Spring,  when  we  may  expect  an  addition  to  our  coal  ton- 
nage from  that  region. 


11 

The  Penn  Haven  and  White  Haven  Rail-road  was  put 
under  contract  last  July,  and  has  been  pushed  as  vigor- 
ously as  the  scarcity  of  labor  would  admit.  Fully  one- 
fourth  of  the  work  is  now  done,  and  it  is  expected  to 
open  the  line  for  business,  through  to  Wyoming  Valley, 
next  fall. 

It  is  expected  that  the  Schuylkill  Haven  and  Lehigh 
River  Rail-road  will  be  completed  within  the  year  1863. 
This,  with  the  great  desire  of  the  Schuylkill  coal  operators 
to  reach  New  York  waters  by  a  continuous  rail  route 
throughout  the  year,  will  without  doubt,  induce  a  large 
coal  tonnage. 

In  view  of  these  improvements  the  double  tracking  of 
our  road  becomes  a  necessity,  and  we  have  taken  such 
measures  as  will  secure  its  completion  within  the  next 
year. 

It  remains  for  us  to  say  that  the  Company  are  much 
indebted  to  their  various  officers  for  the  faithful  and  dili- 
gent discharge  of  their  duties. 

By  order  of  the  Board. 

ASA   PACKER,  PRESIDENT. 

Chunk,  Pa.,         \ 
January  12,  1863.  J 


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LEHIGH  VALLEY  RAILROAD, 
Office  of  Superintendent  and  Engineer. 

BETHLEHEM,  Xov.  30,  1862. 

ASA  PACKKR,  Esq., 

President  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  Company. 


SIR: 

The  following  report  of  the  business  of  the  Lehigh  Valley 
Railroad  for  the  fiscal  year  ending  November  30,  1862,  is  re- 
spectfully submitted. 

The  total  amount  of  coal  transported  over  the  road  was  882,- 
547  tons,  and  was  distributed  as  follows: 

1862.  1861. 

Delivered  on  the  line  of  the  road  ____     263,261  220,944  tons 

Ironton  Railroad  .........         1,214  1,141     " 

Cat.  &  Fogelsville  R.  R...         2,2ii7  4.290     " 

East  Penna.  Railroad  ......         6,667  10,622     " 

Xorth  Penna.  Railroad  ____     103,947  98,389     " 

Delaware  Canal  ..........       29,605 

Belvidere  Delaware  R.  R.  .  .     125,503  146,622     " 

Morris   Canal    ...........       43,296  1,271     " 

Central  R.  R.  of  X.  J  .....     306,824  260,393     " 


882,574      743,672  tons 

Equal  to  747,930  tons  transported  over  the  whole  length  of 
road  or  34,404,795  tons  transported  one  mile.  During  the  same 
period  there  were  transported  193,246  passengers,  equal  to 
61,152  over  the  whole  length  of  road,  or  2,812,980  passengers 
transported  one  mile.  The  miscellaneous  freight,  which  includes 
pig  iron,  iron  ore,  limestone,  lumber,  live  stock,  merchandise, 
&c.,  &c.,  shows  a  very  decided  and  satisfactory  increase  and 
amounts  to  about  420,000  tons.  Much  of  this  tonnage  is  moved 
but  a  short  distance,  and  on  part  of  it  we  receive  tolls  only. 

The  following  is  a  statment  of  the  receipts  and  expenditures: 


70 


RECEIPTS. 

From  Coal  Transportation $630,624  90 

"       Passenger,  Express  and  Mail 89,470  27 

"       Freight    135,959  36 


$856,054  53 
EXPENDITURES. 

For  Coal  Transportation $295,724  22 

"     Passenger,  Express  and  Mail. .       48,192  76 

"     Freight 63,635  84        407,552  82 


,501  71 

Compared  with  last  year  the  receipts  from  coal  show  an  in- 
crease of $130,746  98 

From  passengers  an  increase  of 7,352  31 

From  freight  an  increase  of 38,463  91 

Increase  in  receipts $176,563.20  or  25.9  per  cent. 

"         "  expenses   86,415.17  or  26.8 

"         "  net  receipts 90,148.03  or  25.1 

The  mileage  of  trains  and  earnings  per  mile  run  were  as  fol- 
lows : 

1862.  1861. 

Miles.  Earnings.  Miles.  Earnings. 

Coal  and  freight  trains 229,880        $3.33^  203,060        $2.94 

Passenger  trains 97,450  .91&  97,760  .84 

Drilling  &  construction  trains.      43,390  39,020 

370,720        $3.30^  339,840        §2.00 

Included  in  the  ordinary  expenses  as  above  stated  are  the  fol- 
lowing items: 

Damages  by  high  water $55,392  66 

Eailroad  iron  (400  tons  on  hand) 65,993  54 

Cross-ties,  chairs  and  spikes 13,174  06 

New  bridges 8,719  79 

Damages  to  persons  and  property 1,990  47 


71 

There  has  been  charged  to  construction  as  follows: 

Xew  track    $30,827   68 

Shops  at  Mauch  Chunk  and  South  Easton 1,269  29 

Tool  houses,  cVrc 199  70 

R«-<-rvoir    568  49 

Slatington  depot  and  Gap  water  tank 439  04 

Land  at  Glendon.  ,  800  00 


$34,104  20 

There  were  laid  during  the  year  3.42  miles  of  second  track 
and  1.34  miles  of  sidings,  a  portion  of  this  was  carried  away  by 
the  freshet,  but  most  of  it  has  been  relaid,  and  there  are  now  in 
use  20.1  miles  of  second  track  and  7.5  miles  of  sidings.  There 
are  9.8  miles  of  second  track  graded  and  ready  for  the  track. 
On  the  night  of  the  4th  and  the  morning  of  the  5th  of  June 
there  occurred  the  most  destructive  freshet  ever  known  in  the 
Lehigh  Valley.  Our  road  suffered  very  considerable  injuries, 
and  coal  shipments  were  suspended  until  the  8th  of  July.  The 
superstructure  and  masonry  of  the  bridges  across  the  canal  and 
river  near  Mauch  Chunk  and  the  superstructure  of  the  Mahoning 
Creek  bridge  were  swept  away.  The  bridge  across  the  public 
r«»ad  near  Llokendauqua  was  removed  from  its  foundation,  the 
bridge  across  the  street  below  Allentown  station  was  displaced, 
the  iron  bridge  across  the  Little  Lehigh  was  raised  up  by  the 
accumulation  of  drift  wood  under  it  and  some  of  the  parts  dis- 
placed. One  of  the  piers  of  the  bridge  over  the  Delaware  was 
seriously  injured.  3^  miles  of  the  embankment  of  main  track 
were  very  much  washed  and  a  large  portion  of  it  entirely  gone, 
about  2  miles  more  of  it  so  injured  as  to  need  repairs  to  make 
it  safe  for  business.  Over  5  miles  of  the  main  track  were  moved 
from  its  bed;  some  of  it  was  turned  upside  down  and  covered 
with  gravel,  other  portions  of  it  carried  into  the  river,  the  iron 
bent  and  broken,  and  some  of  it  entirely  lost.  4.3  miles  of 
second  track  embankment  were  washed  away,  and  nearly  1^ 
miles  of  track  were  removed  from  its  bed  and  portions  of  it  lost. 
The  water  had  so  far  receded  in  the  morning  of  the  6th  as  to 
enable  us  to  commence  repairs,  which  were  prosecuted  with 


72 

vigor.  Our  passenger  trains  were  run  from  Easton  to  Allen- 
town  on  the  evening  of  the  7th,  to  Laury's  on  the  morning  of 
the  10th,  to  Slatington  on  the  morning  of  the  12th.  The  track 
was  laid  through  to  south  end  of  the  bridge  near  Mauch  Chunk 
and  a  portion  of  the  timber  for  the  trestle  work  delivered  there 
on  the  evening  of  the  18th.  A  rise  of  between  5  and  6  feet  in 
the  river  retarded  the  progress  of  the  work,  but  the  trestliiig 
was  finally  completed  and  the  passenger  trains  run  over  the 
evening  of  July  3rd.  The  repairs  of  the  Beaver  Meadow  road 
not  being  finished  the  coal  business  was  not  resumed  until  the 
8th,  between  which  time  and  November  30th,  there  were  500,- 
647  tons  of  coal  transported  over  the  road.  On  the  afternoon  of 
Saturday,  October  4th,  the  iron  bridge  which  was  in  the  course 
of  erection  across  the  canal  by  the  contractors  gave  way  under  a 
coal  train,  precipitating  the  bridge  and  nineteen  coal  cars  into 
the  canal.  The  wreck  was  removed  so  as  to  allow  the  passage 
of  boats  by  Monday  evening,  and  the  trestling  completed  for  the 
passage  of  trains  on  Wedenesday  noon.  Two  men  who  were  at 
work  under  the  bridge  when  it  fell  were  killed.  The  masonry 
for  the  canal  and  river  bridge  is  nearly  completed,  and  an  iron 
superstructure  is  in  course  of  construction.  A  stone  arch  of 
8£  feet  span  over  Beaver  Run  and  a  stone  viaduct  of  three  spans 
of  22  feet  each  has  been  built  over  Lizzard  Creek.  A  double 
track  timber  bridge  of  62  feet  span  for  Mahoning  Creek  is 
framed  and  ready  to  be  put  up.  A  new  water  tank  of  a  capacity 
of  44,000  gallons  has  been  built  at  the  Gap.  At  Slatington  a 
new  passenger  and  freight  house  and  a  double  track  wooden 
bridge  of  82  feet  span  are  nearly  completed.  Most  of  the  work 
has  been  done  upon  two  spans  of  62  feet  each  of  iron  bridge  to 
replace  the  wooden  structure  at  Freemansburg.  324  feet,  lineal, 
of-  double  track  trestling  at  Easton  depot  have  been  renewed. 
New  arches  have  been  put  upon  the  span  of  bridge  over  the 
Delaware  Canal,  and  the  pier  which  was  injured,  thoroughly 
repaired.  Nearly  a  mile  of  sidings  have  been  put  in  at  Grlendon 
for  stand  room. 

22,112  cross-ties,  880  tons  of  iron,  3,408  chairs  and  341  kegs 
of  spikes  have  been  used  in  repairs,  and  11,272  cross-ties,  382 
tons  of  iron,  746  new  chairs  and  182  kegs  of  spikes  have  been 
used  in  construction.  The  track  is  now  in  good  order,  though 


not  quite  so  permanent  and  smooth  as  it  was  previous  to  the 
freshet.  Much  of  the  ballast  was  washed  out  and  the  new  banks 
continue  to  settle.  Efforts  were  made  to  increase  our  motive 
power  and  cars  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  trade,  but  were 
not  entirely  successful.  About  100,000  tons  of  coal  from  the 
Lehigh  region  passed  over  the  Reading  Railroad  via  Quakake 
in  consequence  of  our  incapacity  to  meet  the  sudden  demand 
made  upon  us  in  consequence  of  the  destruction  of  the  canal. 
Two  first  class  freight  engines  were  received  from  Mason*  and 
placed  upon  the  road  early  in  the  year.  Another  from  Bald- 
win-f  in  August,  and  two  from  Mason  and  one  from  Baldwin 
in  the  latter  part  of  Xovember.  Also  a  passenger  engine  from 
Baldwin  in  the  early  part  of  November. 

In  May,  one  of  our  largest  engines,  Xorris,  J  builder,  exploded, 
killing  the  engineer  and  fireman.  The  remaining  engine  of 
same  class  was  taken  to  the  shop  and  a  new  boiler  built  for  it. 
It  has  not  yet  been  put  in  use.  There  have  been  built  at  our 
shops  110  eight  wheel  iron-truck  coal  cars.  12  eight  wheel  iron- 
truck  flat  cars  and  6  four  wheel  coal  cars,  and  16  eight  wheel 
iron-truck  coal  cars  purchased.  There  were  about  15  coal  cars 
lo>t  by  the  freshet  and  some  20  more  badly  damaged.  Two 
freight  engines  have  been  ordered  from  Mason  to  be  delivered 
in  April  next.  I  would  recommend  the  order  being  increased 
t<>  six,  to  be  delivered  during  the  summer  and  fall. 

2,000  coal  cars  and  200  flat  cars  will  be  wanted  next  year  to 
meet  the  wants  of  the  coal  and  lumber  trade.  Our  present 
facilities  will  not  enable  us  to  build  over  200  eight  wheel  cars. 

Xext  in  importance  to  rolling  stock  is  a  want  of  ground  for 
tracks  upon  which  to  make  up  trains  for  the  connecting  roads. 
AVe  have  been  notified  by  the  Central  Railroad  Company  that 
we  "must  deliver  their  loaded  cars  at  Phillipsburg  and  furnish 
track  room  at  South  Easton  for  emptv  cars  coming  from  their 
road.  This  is  not  practicable  under  the  present  system  of  doing 
our  business.  We  receive  the  cars  at  Mauch  Chunk  for  three 
connecting  roads  and  two  canals,  mixed  up  in  every  conceivable 
shape.  There  are  not  sufficient  facilities  there  to  assort  them 

*  Locomotive  Builder,  Taunton,  Ma>~. 
t  Locomotive  Builder,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
J  Locomotive  Builder,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


74 

properly,  and  it  has  therefore  to  a  great  extent  to  be  done  at 
South  Easton.  This  occupies  all  the  track  room  we  can  possibly 
get  there,  leaving  no  place  for  empty  cars.  During  the  past 
season  it  has  required  two  drilling  engines  and  crews  to  drill 
trains.  Much  of  this  expense  might  be  avoided  by  drilling  the 
cars  at  Mauch  Chunk  or  Penn  Haven,  where  it  could  be  done 
by  gravity.  A  want  of  room  at  Penn  Haven  would  seem  to 
make  it  necessary  to  be  done  at  or  near  Mauch  Chunk,  where 
ground  will  have  to  be  purchased  and  the  necessary  tracks  put 
in.  Heretofore  we  have  borne  the  whole  of  this  expense,  but  I 
would  suggest  that  in  the  future  all  parties  in  interest  should 
participate.  The  difficulties  and  annoyances  attending  the 
various  ownership  of  cars  is  constantly  increasing.  I  would 
therefore  earnestly  recommend  that  some  plan  should  be  devised 
and  adopted  to  remedy  the  evils.  The  true  interests  of  all  the 
transportation  Companies  demand  it,  and  I  feel  confident  that 
a  serious  consideration  of  the  matter  will  satisfy  you  of  its  im- 
portance and  induce  prompt  action  upon  the  subject.  The  iron 
works  on  the  line  of  our  road  are  prospering  and  now  bid  fair 
to  give  us  a  large  increase  of  tonnage  next  year.  The  Thomas 
Iron  Company  expect  to  blow  in  one  of  their  new  stacks  during 
the  winter.  I  understand  the  Messrs.  Thomas  design  erecting 
a  rolling  mill  at  Catasauqua  and  Mr.  Lewis  is  about  building 
one  at  Allentown  Furnace.  The  Allentown  Rolling  Mill  has 
been  in  successful  operation  since  May  last.  The  Bethlehem 
Iron  Company  expect  to  make  pig  metal  the  first  of  the  year, 
and  rails  in  April  next.  The  Glendon  Iron  Company  have  built 
a  substantial  bridge  across  the  canal  connecting  their  works  with 
our  road,  all  of  which  will  add  largely  to  our  tonnage.  The 
time  is  not  remote  when  we  will  be  required  to  transport  a 
million  tons  of  coal  to  supply  the  iron  works  on  the  line. 

The  revenue  accruing  to  this  road  from  passenger  travel  and 
miscellaneous  freight  to  and  from  the  connecting  roads  is  as 
follows :' 

1862.  1861. 

Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey $98,192  60  $78,629  18 

East  Pennsylvania  Railroad 52,746  34  43,400  01 

North           «                 "        36,62681  27,87176 

Catawissa                         "       21,249  52  14,855  46 


75 

Since  the  date  of  my  last  report  the  work  of  extending  the 
Quakake  Railroad  into  the  Mahanoy  coal  basin  has  progressed 
favorably,  and  it  is  expected  to  open  the  road  as  far  as  Mahanoy 
City  in  the  spring,  when  we  may  expect  an  addition  to  our  coal 
tonnage  from  that  region. 

The  Perm  Haven  and  White  Haven  Railroad  was  put  under 
contract  last  July,  and  has  been  pushed  as  vigorously  as  the 
scarcity  of  labor  will  admit.  There  have  been  expended  to 
this  date  for  graduation  and  masonry  $39,575,  fully  one-fourth 
of  the  work  is  now  done,  and  it  is  expected  to  open  the  line  for 
business  through  to  Wyoming  Valley  early  next  fall.  It  is 
being  graded  for  a  single  track  with  sufficient  sidings  for  a  busi- 
ness of  say,  500,000  tons.  The  grades  are  in  the  direction  of  the 
trade,  maximum  37  feet  per  mile,  radius  of  shortest  curve  ."ii'ii 
feet.  In  addition  to  the  coal  tonnage  to  be  derived  from  this 
connection  there  will  be  about  40  millions  of  feet  of  lumber, 
manufactured  annually  in  the  upper  Lehigh  region,  all  of  which 
will  pass  over  the  Penn  Haven  and  White  Haven,  and  at  least 
half  of  it  over  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad.  The  distance  be- 
tween Wilkesbarre  and  Philadelphia  via  Catawissa  and  Reading 
Railroads  is  188  miles.  Via  Delaware,  Lacka wanna  and  West- 
ern and  Belvidere  Delaware  Railroads  is  18-i  miles.  Via  Penn 
Haven  and  White  Haven,  Lehigh  Valley  and  Xorth  Pennsyl- 
vania is  134  miles.  This  great  difference  in  distance  in  favor 
of  our  line  will  without  doubt  give  us  the  entire  passenger  and 
miscellaneous  freight  business  between  Wyoming  Valley  and 
Philadelphia. 

Xotices  have  been  issued  to  receive  proposals  for  the  building 
of  the  Schuylkill  Haven  and  Lehigh  River  Railroad,  the  work 
to  be  completed  within  the  year  1863.  I  am  informed  that  the 
work  will  be  light,  grades  and  curves  easy,  and  cost  low,  all  of 
which,  together  with  the  great  desire  of  the  Schuylkill  coal 
operators  to  reach  Xew  Vork  waters  by  a  continuous  rail  route 
throughout  the  year,  will,  without  doubt,  induce  a  large  coal 
tonnage.  The  road  is  designed  to  cross  the  Little  Schuylkill  at 
Ringgold,  ten  miles  below  Tamauqua,  and  to  connect  with  the 
Lehigh  Valley  at  or  near  the  mouth  of  Lizzard  Creek,  about 
seven  miles  below  Mauch  Chunk.  In  view  of  these  improve- 


76 

ments  the  double  tracking  of  our  road  becomes  a  necessity,  and 
I  have  taken  such  measures  as  will  secure  its  completion  within 
the  next  year.  The  very  short  curve  in  our  road  at  Mauch 
Chunk  and  the  large  amount  of  business  to  be  done  there  makes 
it  desirable  that  our  facilities  should  be  increased.  It  is  pro- 
posed to  do  this  by  driving  a  double  track  tunnel  through  the 
mountain  at  that  point.  A  survey  and  location  has  been  made 
leaving  our  main  line  at  the  bridge  and  penetrating  the  moun- 
tain in  a  direct  line  with  it,  connecting  with  the  Beaver  Meadow 
Eailroad  about  1,800  feet  above  our  present  junction  with  it. 
The  tunnel  will  be  2,400  feet  long,  the  entire  line  3,350  feet, 
with  grade  of  46.87  per  mile.  The  line  around  the  hill  is  6,842 
feet  long,  with  grades  varying  from  10  to  33  feet  per  mile  and 
curve  of  320  feet  radius.  It  is  proposed  to  run  the  coal  and 
through  freight  trains  through  the  tunnel  and  the  passenger  and 
way  freight  around  the  hill. 

My  acknowledgments  are  due  to  the  heads  of  the  various 
departments  of  transportation  and  repairs  and  to  the  employees 
generally  for  their  faithfulness  and  diligent  attention  to  their 
duties.  Also  to  Mr.  Samuel  Thomas  for  securing  the  iron  bridge 
at  Allentown,  and  to  David  Thomas,  Jr.,  for  replacing  the  bridge 
at  Hokendauqua  in  its  proper  position  after  the  freshet. 
Very  respectfully  yours, 

EOBT.  H.  SAYEE, 
Superintendent  and  Engineer. 


77 


LEHIGH  VALLEY  RAILROAD, 
Office  of  the  Superintendent  and  Engineer. 

BETHLEHEM,  Xovember  30,  1863. 

ASA  PACKER,  Esq., 

President   Lehigk  Valley  Railroad  Company. 

DEAR  SIR: 

The  following  report  of  the  business  of  the  Lehigh  Valley 
Railroad  for  the  fiscal  year  ending  Xovember  30,  1863,  is  re- 
spectfully submitted. 

The  total  amount  of  coal  transported  over  the  road  was  1,195,- 
155  tons,  and  was  distributed  as  follows: 

1863.  1862. 

Delivered  on  the  line  of  the  road 396,504  264,475 

Catasauqua  &  Fogelsville  R.  R.  1,833  2,257 

East  Pennsylvania  9,526  6,667 

Xorth              "                        "  113,680  103,947 

Delaware   Canal 13,894  29,605 

Belvidere  Delaware  Railroad.  137,061  125,503 

Morris  Canal 48,884  43,296 

Central  Railroad  of  X.  J 473,773  306,824 


Total 1,195,155        882,574 

Equal  to  1,009,910  tons  transported  over  the  whole  length  of 
the  road,  or  46,455,867  tons  transported  one  mile. 

During  the  same  period  there  were  transported  266,235^ 
passengers,  equal  to  78,183  over  the  whole  length  of  road,  or 
3,596,418  transported  one  mile.  The  freight,  other  than  coal, 
continues  to  increase  rapidly  and  amounts  to  447,848  tons. 


78 

The  following  is  a  statement  of  the  receipts  and  expenditures: 

Receipts.  Expenditures. 

From  Coal  Transportation $1,075,545  65  $459,264  88 

Passenger  Express  &  Mail      118,449   54  60,004  95 

"       Freight   176,080  61  69,829   61 


$1,370,075  80      $589,099  44 


Net $780,976  36 

Compared  with  last  year  the  receipts  from  coal  show  an  in- 
crease of  $444,920.75  or  70.5  per  cent.;  from  passengers  an  in- 
crease of  $28,979.29  or  32.3  per  cent.;  from  freight  an  increase 
of  $40,121.25  or  29.5  per  cent. 
Increase  in  Receipts  $514,021.27  or  60  per  cent. 
Increase  in  Expenses  $181,546.77  or  44.5  per  cent. 
Increase  in  Net  Receipts  $332,474.50  or  76.3  per  cent. 

The  mileage  of  trains  and  earnings  per  mile  run  were  as  fol- 
lows: 

1863.  1862. 

Miles  Earnings  Miles  Earnings 

Run.  per  Mile.  Run.  per  Mile. 

Coal  and  freight  trains 292, 280      $4. 08^        229, 880      §3. 33T4¥ 

Passenger  trains 101,305        1.-16&          97,450          .91T^ 

Drilling,  repair  &  construct'n  trains  70,955  43,390 


463,640      $2.95T<V        370,720      $2.30^ 

Included  in  the  expenses  as  above  stated  are  the  following 
items : 

Railroad  iron,  cross-ties,  chairs  and  spikes $66,493  21 

Repairs  and  renewals  of  bridges 10,904  84 

High  water  damages .' 56,522  98 


There  was  charged  to  construction  the  following: 

Graduation,   masonry,   &c $135,705  25 

Railroad  iron 75,099  80 

Cross-ties,  chairs,  spikes  and  switches 28,681  82 


79 

Shops   and   engine   house   at   South   Easton   and 

Burlington,  grading  of  grounds,  <fcc 35,145   18 

Depots,  store  house,  cVrc 5,294  88 

Water  tanks,  <fcc 1,123   37 


Total $281,050  30 

New  coal  and  flat  cars -153,296  62 

Locomotives    51,968  94 

Real  estate 13,765  80 


$500,081  66 

There  were  laid  during  the  year  13.9  miles  of  second  track  and 
4  miles  of  sidings,  and  there  are  now  in  use  34  miles  of  second 
track  and  11.5  miles  of  sidings.  The  grading  for  the  balance 
of  the  second  track  is  complete  with  the  exception  of  about  1.5 
miles  which  will  be  ready  for  the  track  as  early  as  it  can  be  laid. 
There  were  used  in  repairs  13,725  cross-ties,  776  tons  of  iron, 
2,387  chairs  and  308  kegs  of  spikes;  and  in  construction  49,465 
cross-ties,  1,246  tons  of  iron,  6,414  chairs  and  1,015  kegs  of 
spikes. 

The  road  has  been  much  improved  since  the  date  of  my  last 
report  and  is  in  good  order,  with  the  exception  of  some  defective 
iron,  which  is  now  being  renewed,  all  iron  to  be  used  in  repairs 
and  second  track  will  be  30  feet  long,  thereby  reducing  the  num- 
ber of  joints  25  per  cent,  and  materially  improving  the  track. 
All  the  bridges  upon  the  line  have  been  renewed  except  those 
at  Easton.  An  iron  one  is  now  being  built  at  our  shops  to  cross 
the  public  road  at  that  station.  Those  across  Mahoning  Creek, 
Balliet's  Greek  and  the  Delaware  River  are  the  only  timber 
bridges  of  any  length  upon  the  road;  the  first  two  are  good, 
being  new;  the  latter  must  be  rebuilt  soon,  whether  it  shall  be 
of  timber  or  iron  remains  for  the  Directors  to  determine.  Con- 
siderable difficulty  is  apprehended  in  the  renewal  of  this  bridge, 
in  consequence  of  there  being  a  track  upon  both  the  upper  and 
lower  chords,  and  of  the  necessity  of  keeping  the  channel  clear 
in  seasons  of  rafting.  It  is  questionable  whether  it  would  not 
be  better  to  lengthen  the  abutments  and  piers  and  build  a  new 


80 

bridge  beside  the  old  one.  The  cost  of  the  masonry  would  be 
partially  overcome  by  the  reduced  cost  of  erecting  the  new 
structure  without  interference  from  the  passing  trains,  the 
amount  of  tonnage  and  the  number  of  trains  crossing  and  re- 
crossing  will,  I  think,  render  it  necessary  in  a  very  few  years  to 
provide  additional  tracks  across  the  river;  if  done  now  we  would 
be  prepared  for  a  large  increase  of  business  in  the  future. 

The  only  interruption  to  the  business  of  the  road  during  the 
past  year  occurred  on  Friday,  January  16th,  when,  by  reason 
of  heavy  rains,  the  river  rose  nine  feet  above  low  water.  Large 
quantities  of  logs  and  other  drift,  together  with  a  bridge  that 
had  been  erected  across  the  river  above  Mauch  Chunk,  were 
brought  down  against  our  trestling  carrying  away  a  number  of 
the  bents.  The  track  was  repaired  and  trains  passed  over  on 
Thursday  the  22nd.  An  iron  bridge  was  built  at  Mauch  Chunk 
connecting  the  railroad  with  the  town,  at  the  joint  expense  of 
this  Company  and  the  Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Company, 
The  double  track  iron  bridge  across  the  canal  and  river  near 
Mauch  Chunk,  three  spans  of  115  feet  each,  and  one  of  142 
feet,  was  finished  early  in  the  summer.  It  is  a  handsome  and 
substantial  structure  and  will,  I  trust,  relieve  us  from  any  further 
detention  or  trouble  at  that  point. 

A  double  track  timber  bridge  was  erected  across  Mahoning 
Creek,  replacing  a  temporary  one  built  after  the  freshet  of  June, 
1862.  The  bridge  at  Slatington,  which  was  in  course  of  con- 
struction last  year,  was  finished  early  this  season. 

A  double  track  timber  bridge  of  80  feet  span,  and  two  of 
32  feet  span  each,  were  built  at  Eockdale.  Two  spans  of  60 
feet  each  of  iron  have  been  built  across  the  Saucon  Creek  near 
Freemansburg,  in  addition  to  which  there  were  a  number  of  short 
timber  bridges  built  on  the  second  track.  A  9  feet  arch  culvert 
was  lengthened  10  feet  and  an  8-J  arch  lengthened  62  feet  to 
accommodate  a  change  and  improvement  of  line. 

The  flat  at  Burlington,  containing  over  47  acres,  has  been 
purchased,  upon  which  it  is  proposed  to  erect  all  the  buildings, 
shops,  tracks,  &c.,  necessary  for  our  rapidly  increasing  business. 
Trains  will  be  made  up  at  that  point  for  the  various  con- 
necting roads,  thus  avoiding  much  of  the  drilling  that  is  now 


81 

done  at  much  expense  and  trouble  at  South  Easton.  The  grad- 
ing of  the  grounds  has  been  commenced  and  will  be  prosecuted 
as  vigorously  as  circumstances  will  permit.  The  foundation 
for  a  repair  and  erecting  shop,  168  by  251  feet,  has  been  laid 
and  the  walls  are  partly  up;  a  building,  41  by  84  feet,  for 
stationary  engine  and  machine  shop  is  under  roof;  and  an  engine 
house  to  accommodate  16  locomotives  will  be  commenced  in  the 
spring.  A  good  supply  of  water  is  to  be  had  on  the  premises 
without  pumping  and  a  large  tank  has  already  been  put  up. 

At  South  Easton  an  extension  of  the  machine  shop,  60  by  150 
feet,  two  stories  high,  of  stone,  lias  been  put  under  roof,  and 
additional  accommodations  built  for  8  engines.  This  completes 
the  roundhouse  and  provides  stalls  for  27  locomotives.  A  lot 
of  ground  was  purchased  at  Lehighton  and  a  very  convenient 
station  house  of  brick  for  the  accommodation  of  both  passengers 
and  freight  erected  thereon. 

The  station  house  at  Slatington  was  completed  early  in  the 
year.  This,  as  well  as  that  at  Lehighton,  gives  very  general 
satisfaction  to  the  citizens  and  travelling  public.  I  trust  that  ere 
the  close  of  another  year  good  and  sufficient  station  houses  will 
be  built  at  Mauch  Chunk,  Bethlehem  and  Easton.  At  the 
latter  place  it  is  proposed  to  change  the  site  of  the  depot  to  a 
point  nearer  South  Easton,  thereby  accommodating  both  towns 
and  placing  the  buildings  in  a  less  objectionable  situation. 

Three  first  class  freight  engines  have  been  added  to  the  rolling 
stock  during  the  past  year  and  three  more  have  been  ordered, 
all  to  be  delivered  by  July  of  next  year. 

There  have  been  built  at  our  shops  62  eight  wheel  iron-truck 
coal  cars,  31  iron-truck  flat  cars  and  100  four  wheel  coal  cars, 
and  there  were  purchased  from  E.  A.  Packer  &  Co.  271  four 
wheel  coal  cars. 

The  equipment  of  the  road  now  consists  of  29  locomotives 
of  all  classes,  703  eight  wheel  coal  cars,  874  four  wheel  coal  cars, 
77  flat  cars,  8  passenger  cars  and  4  baggage  cars.  Contracts 
have  been  made  for  1,000  four  wheel  coal  cars,  50  flat  cars  and 
2  passenger  cars,  all  of  which  are  to  be  delivered  by  the  first  of 
April,  1864.  Contracts  have  also  be^n  made  for  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  timber  for  100  flat  cars  and  about  500  coal  cars. 


82 

The  furnaces  and  rolling  mills  erected  in  the  valley  during 
the  past  year  have  had  the  effect  of  increasing  the  amount  of 
coal  used  on  the  line  of  the  road,  about  49  per  cent.  This  will 
probably  be  still  further  augmented,  as  additional  furnaces  and 
mills  are  building.  The  multiplication  of  manufacturing  estab- 
lishments in  our  valley  not  only  increases  the  consumption  of 
coal,  but  adds  leargely  to  the  other  branches  of  our  business,  as 
is  shown  by  our  increased  receipts  from  passengers  and  freight. 

A  year  ago  it  was  confidently  expected  that  both  the  Schuyl- 
kill  Haven  and  Lehigh  Railroad  and  the  Penn  Haven  and  White 
Haven  Railroad  would  ere  this  have  been  contributing  their 
quota  of  coal  and  other  business  from  the  Schuylkill  and  Wyom- 
ing regions.  The  former,  after  being  prosecuted  vigorously  for 
a  few  months  passed  into  the  control  of  the  Reading  Railroad 
Company,  who  immediately  suspended  all  operations  thereon. 
The  latter  was  much  delayed  in  consequence  of  the  great  scarcity 
and  high  price  of  labor.  The  graduation  and  masonry  is  now 
in  such  a  state  of  forwardness  as  to  insure  its  completion  in  Feb- 
ruary next.  Most  of  the  cross-ties,  and  part  of  the  iron,  chairs 
and  spikes  have  been  delivered,  and  track  laying  commenced. 
There  has  been  expended  upon  the  work  to  date: 

For  graduation,  masonry,  cross-ties  &  engineering. $2 64, 99 7   78 

"    Real  estate 1,350  00 

"    Railroad   iron 26,687   42 


$293,035   20 

Early  in  the  fall  a  corps  of  engineers  was  put  in  the  field  to 
ascertain  the  f easability  of  a  railroad  line  from  the  top  of  Wilkes- 
barre  Mountain  at  Solomon's  Gap,  running  west  to  the  coal  fields 
of  Hanover  and  Newport  Townships.  A  good  route  was  got 
with  grades  of  about  90  feet  per  mile  against  the  trade.  The 
grade  is  heavy,  though  but  little,  if  any,  more  than  that  of  the 
Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western,  while  the  elevation  to  be 
overcome  is  300  feet  less  than  via  Scranton.  A  good  location 
for  inclined  planes  was  found  about  two  miles  west  of  those  of 
the  Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Company.  It  may  be  desirable 
to  go  still  further  west  with  the  planes,  though  no  examinations 


83 

have  yet  been  made  to  ascertain  if  suitable  ground  could  be  had. 
The  coal  designed  to  be  reached  has  been  almost  entirely  unde- 
veloped and  may  probably  remain  so  for  some  time  unless  the 
road  in  contemplation  is  built.  When  done  it  will  increase  the 
amount  of  tonnage  from  Wyoming  Valley  via  the  Lehigh  route 
and  should,  therefore,  be  looked  upon  favorably  by  the  various 
companies  composing  the  lines  to  market. 

The  Lehigh  and  Mahanoy  Railroad  was  formally  opened  to 
Mahanoy  ( 'ity  on  the  first  of  September,  since  which  time 
9,046  tons  of  coal  passed  over  it  to  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad; 
about  equal  to  the  tonnage  of  our  road  during  the  corresponding 
months  of  1855.  It  is  hoped  that  the  increase  from  Mahanoy 
in  the  coming  eight  years  may  keep  pace  with  that  of  the  Lehigh 
Valley  during  the  past  eight.  In  Xovember  its  extension  to 
( 'emralia  was  put  under  contract,  making  a  main  line  from 
( 'atawissa  Junction-  of  20  miles,  with  three  branches  of  about 
:24  miles  each;  all  of  which  but  about  4  miles  is  within  the  coal 
measures.  There  remain  about  4  miles  to  build  in  addition 
to  that  now  being  graded  to  reach  Mount  Carmel,  where  it  will 
connect  with  the  Mount  Carmel  and  Sunbury  Railroad,  thus 
forming  a  continuous  rail  communication  betAveen  the  Lehigh 
at  Penii  Haven  and  the  Susquehanna  at  Sunbury.  Its  com- 
pletion cannot  fail  to  bring  a  very  large  tonnage  to  the  Lehigh 
Valley  and  its  southern  and  eastern  connections. 

The  Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Company  are  building  a 
railroad  from  their  chutes  to  connect  with  our  road  at  the  iron 
bridge,  one  mile  below  Mauch  Chunk,  with  a  view  of  shipping 
coal  from  their  mines  during  the  close  of  navigation. 

The  Catasauqua  and  Fogelsville  Railroad  Company  are  ex- 
tending their  road  some  eight  miles  to  reach  the  magnetic  ore 
beds  of  the  Lehigh  Mountain.  If  this  deposit  prove  as  rich 
and  extensive  as  anticipated  it  will  cheapen  the  manufacture  of 
iron  and  thereby  tend  to  increase  the  quantity  produced  in  the 
vicinity. 

The  Bethlehem  Railroad,  extending  from  Bethlehem  to  Bath, 
is  under  contract  and  the  grading  now  in  progress.  This  road 
will  also  open  fine  deposits  of  iron  ore,  limestone  and  slate  and 
will  concentrate  the  trade  and  travel  of  that  section  of  countrv 


84: 

upon  our  road  at  Bethlehem.  Extensive  slate  quarries  are  now 
worked  in  the  vicinity  of  Bath,  the  product  of  which  is  hauled 
to  Easton  for  shipment. 

Every  year  adds  to  the  number  of  our  connections,  each  one 
of  which  contributes  more  or  less  to  our  general  business  and 
prosperity;  all  should  be  encouraged  and  every  facility  offered 
for  the  prompt  interchange  of  business  by  which  we  will  be 
mutually  benefitted. 

It  is  gratifying  to  again  bear  testimony  to  the  faithfulness 
and  diligence  of  the  heads  of  the  various  departments  of  trans- 
portation, construction  and  repairs  and  to  the  employees  gener- 
ally. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

EOBT.  H.  SAYRE, 
Superintendent  and  Engineer. 


YC  25458 


